Francis Scott Key
A Maryland lawyer who penned a single, enduring poem during the War of 1812 that later became America's national anthem.
1779–1843 (age 64)·American lawyer and poet·Birthday: August 1
Biography
Francis Scott Key's legacy rests entirely on a single night of intense observation. In September 1814, this respected attorney and amateur poet was aboard a British ship negotiating a prisoner's release while the Royal Navy bombarded Baltimore's Fort McHenry. Through the smoke and darkness, the fate of the fort—and by symbolic extension, the young nation—was unknown. When dawn broke and Key saw the large American flag still flying, his relief poured out into a poem titled 'Defence of Fort M'Henry.' Published immediately and set to a popular drinking song tune, it captured the public's imagination. Its journey from broadsheet to official national anthem in 1931 was slow, but its imagery of the 'star-spangled banner' became inseparable from American identity, forever linking Key's name to a moment of defiant survival.
#1 When Francis Was Born
The biggest hits of 1779
Francis's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1779Born
1784Started school
1792Became a teenager
1795Could drive
1797Could vote
1800Turned 21
1809Turned 30
1819Turned 40
1829Turned 50
1839Turned 60
1843Died at 64
Key Achievements
- Authored the poem 'Defence of Fort M'Henry,' which was later adopted as the lyrics for the U.S. national anthem, 'The Star-Spangled Banner.'
- Served as a district attorney for Washington, D.C., for many years, arguing numerous cases before the Supreme Court.
- Was a founding member of the American Colonization Society, which advocated for the migration of free Black Americans to Africa.
Did You Know?
The tune for the anthem is from a British gentlemen's club song called 'To Anacreon in Heaven.'
He was a slaveholder who also represented some enslaved people seeking freedom in court, holding complex and contradictory views on slavery.
The original manuscript of his poem is housed in the Maryland Historical Society.
He is the namesake of Key West, Florida, though the island was named for his relative, not for him directly.
“Then, in that hour of deliverance, my heart spoke. Does not such a country, and such defenders of their country, deserve a song?”
