Francis Scott Key is best known for writing the lyrics to “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the United States’ national anthem. Composed in 1814 during the War of 1812, the song has long symbolized American patriotism and resilience. However, Key’s legacy is far more complex and troubling than his poetic contribution suggests. A slave owner, defender of slavery, and opponent of free speech, Key’s life reveals a man deeply entrenched in the racial and social hierarchies of his time.
A Life Rooted in Slavery
Born in 1779 on a Maryland plantation, Francis Scott Key grew up in a world where slavery was a cornerstone of the economy and social order. His family owned enslaved people, and Key himself held human beings as property throughout much of his life. By the 1820s, records show he owned at least six enslaved individuals, whom he treated as chattel, buying and selling them as needed. While Key occasionally expressed discomfort with slavery’s brutality, his actions tell a different story. He never freed his slaves during his lifetime, and his legal and public career consistently upheld the institution.
Key’s views on race were explicit and dehumanizing. As a lawyer, he argued cases that reinforced the rights of slaveholders. In one notable instance, he represented a slave owner seeking to reclaim an enslaved person, defending the “property rights” of his client. Key also supported the American Colonization Society, which advocated sending free Black people to Africa rather than granting them equal rights in the United States. He described Black people as “a distinct and inferior race” and believed their presence in America was a problem to be solved through removal, not emancipation or integration.
Defender of Slavery, Enemy of Free Speech
Key’s commitment to slavery extended beyond personal ownership to active defense of the system. As a prominent attorney and later U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, he used his legal influence to protect the institution. In 1835, Key prosecuted an abolitionist, Reuben Crandall, for distributing anti-slavery pamphlets. Key argued that such materials incited violence and threatened public order, seeking harsh penalties to silence Crandall’s activism. This case underscored Key’s hostility toward free speech when it challenged the status quo of slavery. He viewed abolitionist rhetoric as dangerous, prioritizing the preservation of a slaveholding society over open discourse.
Key’s prosecution of Crandall was not an isolated incident. He consistently aligned himself with pro-slavery interests, using his platform to suppress voices calling for emancipation. His actions as a public figure reveal a man who saw slavery not only as a personal economic benefit but as a system worth defending through legal and political means.
The Troubling Context of “The Star-Spangled Banner”
The lyrics of “The Star-Spangled Banner” take on a darker hue when viewed through the lens of Key’s beliefs. The third stanza, rarely sung today, references a “hireling and slave” who fails to escape the “gloom of the grave.” Some historians argue this line mocks enslaved people who joined British forces during the War of 1812, lured by promises of freedom. The British offered liberty to enslaved individuals who fought against the Americans, and many seized the opportunity. Key, a slaveholder, likely viewed their actions as betrayal, embedding his contempt in the anthem’s lesser-known verses.
While the song’s first stanza, the one most familiar to Americans, celebrates the flag’s enduring battle, its origins are tied to a man who saw no contradiction between extolling “the land of the free” and owning human beings. This irony has fueled debates about the anthem’s place in modern America, especially as the nation grapples with its history of racial injustice.
A Legacy Under Scrutiny
Francis Scott Key’s role as the author of “The Star-Spangled Banner” has long overshadowed his complicity in slavery and suppression of free speech. Statues of Key, such as the one toppled in San Francisco in 2020, have become flashpoints in discussions about how America reckons with its past. Critics argue that honoring Key sanitizes a man whose life was defined by racism and the defense of an oppressive system. Others contend that his contributions to American culture should be separated from his failings.
Key died in 1843, leaving behind a legacy that is both celebrated and condemned. His anthem endures as a symbol of national pride, but it is inseparable from the man who wrote it—a slave owner who championed slavery and stifled dissent. As Americans sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” at ballgames and ceremonies, the shadow of Key’s beliefs lingers, challenging the nation to confront the contradictions at its core.
Francis Scott Key’s life embodies the moral complexities of America’s founding era. He was a poet whose words inspired a nation, but also a racist slave owner who defended an inhumane system and opposed free speech for those who dared challenge it. Understanding Key’s full story invites a deeper reflection on the symbols we cherish and the histories they carry. His anthem may evoke unity, but it also echoes the unresolved tensions of a country built on both liberty and oppression.