Media Battle Hymn of the Republic
This hymn helped inspire the North in its fight to reunite the country and free African-American slaves
The Story Behind The Song
Every song has a story about why it was written
Sometimes history can come across as a bunch of boring dates or a list of dead guys. But history is packed with surprising stories of people doing amazing, brave, as well pretty silly things—in other words, people just like people today!
History is also full of music. Songs from the past are like recordings from long ago. They give us a sense of what our parents, grandparents, and extra-old ancestors feared, hoped for, and celebrated.
As you read about these songs from the past, keep a couple questions in the back of your mind: What songs being created today will tell your story to your kids and grandkids? And what story will your songs tell?
In This Series...
Media Brother Can You Spare a Dime?
Humbled by the Great Depression, this song gave voice to Americans' fears and feelings of loss
Media God Bless America
In 1938, composer Irving Berlin dusted off an old piece of music to create a new national hit
Media The Marine's Hymn
The stories behind the words鈥斺淔rom the Halls of Montezuma, To the shores of Tripoli鈥
Media Puerto Rico鈥檚 National Anthem "La Borinque帽a"
In 1868, Puerto Rican poet Lola Rodr铆guez de Ti贸 wrote revolutionary lyrics to a popular Puerto Rican danza, hoping to inspire her fellow Puerto Ricans to rise up against Spanish colonialism. Over one hundred years later, a new set of words became the official lyrics to 鈥淟a Borinque帽a,鈥 Puerto Rico鈥檚 national anthem.
Media El himno nacional de Puerto Rico 鈥淟a Borinque帽a鈥
En 1868, la poeta Lola Rodr铆guez de T铆o escribi贸 liricas que revolucionaron una danza popular de Puerto Rico con la esperanza de inspirar a su gente puertorrique帽a a rebelar en contra del colonialismo espa帽ol. M谩s de cien a帽os despu茅s, nuevas palabras se convirtieron en la letra oficial de 鈥淟a Borinque帽a,鈥 el himno nacional de Puerto Rico.
Media The Star-Spangled Banner
How a captured poet penned the song that became the country鈥檚 national anthem.
Media This Land is Your Land
Folk singer Woody Guthrie celebrates America鈥檚 bounty and protests that not all Americans were getting their fair share
Media We Shall Overcome
How a song helped steel the courage of Black Americans as they struggled to surmount the barriers to civil rights.
Media Yankee Doodle
鈥淵ankee Doodle鈥 may be a popular kids鈥 tune today, but it got its start as a song of war
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Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Bank of America; Capital One; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Carnegie Corporation of New York; The Ednah Root Foundation; Harman Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The Kiplinger Foundation; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; The Markow Totevy Foundation; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives;
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