© 2026 Boise State Public Radio
NPR in Idaho
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The real story of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom
Published January 21, 2026 at 10:04 AM MST

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)
/
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
Here & Now Newsroom

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.

Donate