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The real story of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom
Published January 21, 2026 at 9:04 AM PST

Few people know the real story of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” or that the massive flag that inspires it still exists.

Here & Now‘s Indira Lakshmanan speaks with Jennifer Jones, a curator of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, about the history of the banner.

The flag that inspired the "Star Spangled Banner" on display. (Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute)
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The flag that inspired the "Star Spangled Banner" on display. (Courtesy of the Smithsonian Institute)

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR
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