that inspired our national anthem. you can watch this or other "american artifacts" programs any time by visiting our website, c-span.org/history. next on american history tv, the smithsonian's national museum of american history commemorates flag day and the 200th anniversary of the spar-spangled banner with you speeches and a variety of performances. the program ends with the simultaneous singing of the national anthem. this event is about an hour and a half. >> how's everybody doing today? pretty good? great. i want to welcome you all to your national museum of american history and to anthem for america. my name is xavier. today we're celebrating our national and international flag day sing-along for the 200th anniversary of our star-spangled banner.

that's right. 200 years ago this year francis scott key wrote the words to a poem, the defense of ft. mchenry, and set it to a british tune, and together they form our national anthem, the star-spangled banner. here at the national museum of american history, we explore america's history through collections, research and public outreach. we help people understand the past to better make sense of the present and to shape a more humane future. we're hoping that our program will be able to do much of that by bringing the nation together around our national anthem. by the way, we're not just bringing people together here in washington, d.c., on the national mall, but also all over our country and indeed world. i'd like to send a special welcome to our streaming audience who is watching us via youtube stream and cspan3. speaking of bringing people together, it's very appropriate

our opening conductor is well known bringing together singers with his infamous and well done virtual choir projects. i'd like you all to join me in thanking grammy winning composer mr. eric whitaker. also, let me introduce you all to today's choir. i've got to tell you, these guys are great, and i had a lot of fun with them earlier today at rehearsal. they're organized by the john f. kennedy center of performing arts chorus america and classical movements. 400 voices from 45 states aged 9 to 81. let's give them a hand. we would also like to thank our men and women in the united states air force. as you guys can see, we have the united states air force band and singing sergeants with us today,

but they're not only performing, if you look at all the things you see up here, much being run behind the scenes is also being done by men and women of our united states air force, so please recognize them with a hand. also, we'd like to thank the national park service. without them we wouldn't have this beautiful national mall towards which to orient our performance. also at park service sites all over the country, folks are watching us online. so please recognize them. and you guys are in for some really good performances today. many of them were made possible by our friends at wolf and tusk management. please give them a big hand. all right. now, to help us kick off this event, i'd like to welcome our

esteemed first speaker. please welcome the 12th secretary of the smithsonian institution, dr. wayne clough. >> good afternoon. great day. enjoying it? welcome to the smithsonian national museum of american history, your museum. thank you for all coming to help us celebrate the grand 200th anniversary of one of our nation's most iconic objects, the star-spangled banner. today, on flag day, we celebrate in word, song and performance. today we lift every voice and sing. i want to thank the many talented performers who are here with us today, especially this

gifted choir behind me composed of singers from sea to shining sea. let's give them a hand. thanks also the u.s. air force concert band who represent our brave men and women serving around the world. give them applause. many thanks to our undersecretary for history arts and culture richard juran, deputy director of this museum and all my colleagues participating to help us organize this wonderful event. thanks go to our friends and supporters, friends at the national park service, john f. kennedy center for the performing arts, wool and tusk, classical movements who worked so hard with us to make this day special for all of us. the star-spangled banner was born in baltimore. we are honored to welcome the former mayor of baltimore and current governor of the great state of maryland, the honorable martin o'malley.

he'll be speaking shortly. as well as the director of the maryland historical society. we thank both of them for the loan of the francis scott key's original manuscript displayed today here with the flag for the first time in our history. opera singer renee fleming's gown worn when she sang the national anthem during the 2014 super bowl is also on display. we thank renee. every day, millions of flags fly in big cities and small towns like the one where i came from all across our nation. they hang on front porches and store fronts, schools, military bases, museums, cities, state and federal buildings. small children carry them in big parades. i even have a flag that was carried in outer space by a friend of mine who was an astronaut. our military men and women carry them into battle. they mark the graves of the fallen at arlington national

cemetery, gettysburg and the american cemetery in normandy, france. we salute our flag and what it means. we salute those who defend it and those who live up to it. everything those flags stand for everywhere is symbolized by one flag here, and that is the star-spangled banner. it is here, but we at the smithsonian don't own it. you own it, the american people. we take care of it and we have for more than a century. we preserve it and display it for the american people, and visitors from around the world who seek to understand our country, our culture and its great history. as one of our curators here once said, there is an accurate perception that we are forever, that we will care for an object eternally. this is a sacred trust we at the smithsonian take seriously because we owe it to the american people. we tell america's stories, stories of courage, of struggle, sacrifice and triumph.

our scholars and experts will use the latest technology and techniques to keep this flag alive for generations to come. so your children and your children's children can learn from the lessons it teaches all of us. you can see it here today. you can visit any time online. please do. it's your flag. it's part of the history and fabric of our country. for even more information on this important time in our history, please explore our online exhibition from our national portrait gallery, 1812 the nation emerges. tonight at 9:00 p.m. on the smithsonian channel, don't miss out on the star-spangled story, battle for america, with insights from curators from this museum. historian david mccullough once wrote history teaches us what we stand for, what we ought to be

willing to stand up for. history is or should be the bedrock of patriotism, not the chest pounding kind of patriotism but the real thing, love of country. his words stand the test of time. thank you for being with us today and enjoy. thank you very much, mr. secretary. thanks to the work of secretary clough and many others, the smithsonian is using this opportunity, this wonderful flag day celebration, to bring the nation together. there are a lot of people helping us out with this celebration including 115 national partners, such as aarp, capital girl scout council, veterans of foreign wars, there really are too many others to name. in 30 states and two countries hosting 86 watch parties. many of these watch parties are hosted also by some of our 200 smithsonian institution

affiliates. added to that at 600 macies store -- macys stores around the country, people will be joining us to sing along. that means from many sumner, washington, the home of the rhubarb pie, to iraq, there could be folks all around the globe singing with us today at 4:00 p.m. we want to thank all of them for joining us. i hope you guys are ready. are you? are you tired of hearing me talk? i think that's what you are really saying to me. i think it's time for another performance. i'd like to do that by welcoming again our choir and also welcoming the united states air force band and singing sergeants to perform the battle hymn of the republic, commanded and conducted by colonel henry h. lang.

♪ ♪ ♪ mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord ♪ ♪ he is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored ♪

♪ he hath loosed the fateful lightning of his terrible swift sword ♪ ♪ his truth is marching on ♪ i have seen him in the watch fires of 100 circling camps ♪ ♪ they have builded him an altar in the evening dews and damps ♪ ♪ in the beauty of the lilies christ was born across the sea ♪

♪ glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah ♪ marching on ♪ ♪ our god is marching on ♪ glory glory hallelujah

♪ glory glory hallelujah ♪ glory glory hallelujah ♪ ♪ in the beauty of the lilies christ was born across the sea ♪ ♪ with the glory in his bosom that transfigured you and me ♪ ♪ as he died to make men holy let us live to make men free ♪

my god is marching on ♪ ♪ glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah ♪ ♪ glory glory hallelujah ♪ my god is marching on ♪ glory glory hallelujah glory glory hallelujah ♪ ♪ glory glory hallelujah ♪ my god is marching on

♪ >> that was great, everyone. thanks a lot. much like julio wardhouse words in the "battle hymn," the star-spangled banner inspires us all. we want to join in that inspiration having the star-spangled banner to inspire us in something and you take a turn joining in that inspiration, as well. there are people watching us all over the country, all over the world. there are a lot of you here

watching under the sound of my voice. many of you are going to be taking lots of pictures and taking lots of video of this event and of your various watch parties. what we'd like you to do is share those photos and videos with us online. while there, you can check out our interactive banner yet waves timeline. it features artists like aloe black, train, angie johnson and all of these artists have worked with us at the smithsonian to craft their own special version of the star-spangled banner in celebration of this great occasion. it's really nice. i've seen lots of those videos. all the instructions and information you need is on our website, anthem for america.smithsonian.com. speaking of the wonderful artists in our timeline, many come from longstanding

traditions in american music. our next performer fits with that position. she is part of the historic legacy of the carter family. she has the bloodline of legends such as mother maybelle carter and june carter cash. after nearly a century of their first recordings, she makes sure that that circle remains unbroken. so please welcome recording artist carline carter. >> thank you. hi. this is a little song about what it was like for me growing up as a little girl and traveling around with mother maybelle and the singing carter sisters. my little story. ♪ in my grandma's house her children would sing ♪ ♪ guitars a-twanging and laughter ringing ♪ ♪ i was little but i was the biggest kid ♪ ♪ i wanted to do what the

grown-ups did ♪ ♪ in a big shiny car we'd head down the road ♪ ♪ sing for the miners who brought out the coal ♪ ♪ at times slept on the floor boards cold ♪ ♪ on a quilt my little sister the wildwood rose ♪ ♪ and if i could change a thing in this world ♪ ♪ i'd go back to the days with grandma in her curls ♪ ♪ singing sweet and low ♪ and the wildwood rose ♪ we'd be way down the road by

the break of dawn ♪ ♪ biscuits and gravy and a truck stop song ♪ ♪ in a world all fine ♪ i saw what i saw ♪ in the rear view mirror ♪ i'd get a wink from my grandma ♪ ♪ if i could change a thing in this world ♪ ♪ i'd go back to the days of grandma in her curls ♪ ♪ singing sweet and low for me and the wildwood rose ♪ ♪ a lay a o a lee a o o lay dee

who a lee o lay dee ♪ ♪ oh i'll always remember the day that she died ♪ ♪ my daddy he called me and he started to cry ♪ ♪ i rode on an airplane with all of my pain ♪ ♪ my tears would not stop ♪ we stood in a circle and sang ♪ ♪ will the circle be unbroken by and by, by and by ♪ ♪ there's a a better on the way

in the sky, lord, in the sky ♪ ♪ will the circle be broken by and by, by and by ♪ ♪ there's a a better on the way in the sky, lord, in the sky ♪ ♪ in the sky lord in the sky >> thank you, all. it was an honor to be here. let's have a great flag day. whoo-hoo!

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ tis a gift to be simple tis a gift to be sweet ♪ ♪ tis a gift to come down where we ought to be ♪ ♪ when we find ourselves in the place just right it will be in the valley of love and delight ♪ ♪ where true simplicity is gained to bow and to bend we shant be ashamed ♪ ♪ to turn, turn will be our divide, turning, turning we come round round ♪

♪ tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to come down where we ought to be ♪ ♪ where we fund ourselves in a place just right we'll be in the valley in love and delight ♪ ♪ when simplicity is gained ittial be achieved ♪ ♪ it shall be a delight we come round round ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ tis the gift to be simple and the gift to be free ♪

♪ tis the gift to come down where we ought to be ♪ ♪ and when we find ourselves in the place just right ♪ ♪ twill be in the valley of love and delight ♪ ♪ we shant be ashamed ♪ to turn, turn will be our delight ♪ ♪ till by turning, turning we come round right ♪ [ applause ]

>> we want to thank the united states air force band and singing sergeants for that special arrangement of the shaker tune simple gifts featuring master sergeant emily wellington. let's give them and her a hand. [ applause ] now, for those of you here in washington, if you're out on the mall, you might see, and probably have already seen, some of our many volunteers who are working together to help give people information, get them where they need to go, direct them to the opening of the museum where you can go in.

and i really want to recognize them for coming forward and helping us with this the wonderful event. can you please give them a big hand. [ applause ] the easy way to find them is they have the words raised in stylized version of the 15 star and stripes flag on their shirts. that was done for us by the martin agency. i would like to recognize them as well and their president john adams, who is also a member of the board here at the national museum of american history. so let's give them a hand as well. [ applause ] here at the national museum of american history, we are the stewards of america's history. and also of the star spangled banner flag, which is sometimes known as the great garrison flag. now some of you are looking at me strange. you did hear my words correctly. these flags that are sung about in the star-spangled banner is

right inside of this building behind me. there are people as we speak looking at it right now in an exhibition. when we're done, you all can go and to our open entrance, go inside the museum, see all the wonderful collections we have on display. but also see that star spangled banner flag, the flag talked about in our national anthem. when francis scott key saw that same flag flying 200 years ago, hi he was inspired to hand write a poem in a manuscript. believe it or not, that m manuscript is also on display inside the national museum of american history. the original 1814 manuscript of our national anthem. the stewards of that manuscript are the maryland historical society. i would like to introduce you to the president and ceo of the society.

i he's a singular historian and interpreter and it's large lly e to his efforts that the manuscript and the flag have been brought together for the first time in 200 years. as a matter of fact, probably closer to each other than they have ever been before. so please join me in welcoming mr. burt kummerow. >> how exciting it is to be here among this great american music, particularly the carter family. very exciting. good afternoon, everyone. and this wonderful, glorious day, this flag day. we at the maryland historical society are honored to be sharing our star spangled banner manuscript written by francis scott key on september 16th,

1814. today, as these two american icons, the giant flag and tiny document are joined for the very first time, i have a short story to tell you. no one in baltimore knew what to expect when dawn broke september 14th, 1814. the night had been stormy, violent, enemy bridge ships, so-called bomb vessels named meteor, volcano, aetna, and devastation, have been lobbying 200-pound exploding bombs at ft. mchenry for 20 hours straight. screaming rockets were lighting up the gloomy darkness. the americans were returning fire from gun batteries lying in the shore. it had been quite a show for baltimore, noisy, terrifying, and hypnotic. every american within range, soldier, or private citizen was

watching anxiously from roof and hilltop alike. the future of baltimore and perhaps the young united states republic itself were hanging in the balance. ever since 1812 when the u.s. declared war against the strongest nation, the fast growing port of baltimore and the chesapeake bay community had been prime targets. in the hot, stormy summer of 1814, nightmares come true. the u.s. capitol and the white house went up in flames. the u.s. president fled for his life from the invading red coats, and now it was baltimore's turn. city residents knew that the british would show no quarter if they entered the city. fast baltimore clippers, privateers had been preying on enemy merchant ships throughout the entire war. the city would have been left in ruins if the invaders succeeded. two days earlier, desperate fighting at north point killed a

british general, and faced with 15,000 entrenched and determined defenders with 100 cannons, the enemy land attack had already failed. but with ft. mchenry guarding the harbor fall under the fierce bombardment? would marines be in streets with burning torches? first light brought curiosity, nerves, and hope. thousands of eyes peered at the point of land in the distance. cheers started in the harbor. the flag was still there. one volunteer summed up the many tears of joy. we were filled with exaltation. at beholding the stars and stripes still blowing in the breeze. another witness watched from the british fleet where he was detained after negotiating the release of prisoners under a flag of truce. francis scott key, a successful 35-year-old lawyer and the new

national capital was also a gentleman poet. within two days he put pen to paper vividly describing in four versing the well of emotions everyone felt at this very unlikely victory. set to a popular club song called the defense of fort mchenry, it was picked up by newspapers all over america and became the star spangled banner within a month. the humble mr. key had a simple explanation for his achievement. in that hour of deliverance and joyful triumph the heart spoke. does not such a country and such defenders of their country deserve a song? that song, forever identified with the giant flag that inspired it, remained popular, especially during public ceremonies. and in 1931, more than a century after the war that inspired it, president herbert hoover signed the bill that made it our national anthem. and today we are celebrating the

winding 200-year journey that has brought a tiny piece of paper and giant flag together for the very first time. we celebrate the families of the 1814 defenders that saved these precious icons in their baltimore homes throughout the 19th century. the flag was displayed, hanging on buildings. souvenir pieces were snipped off and shared with honored guests. the manuscript was displayed in a wall in the the baltimore parlor. we celebrate the institutions in baltimore and washington they have conserved, displayed and interpreted flag and document throughout the 20th century. after more than a century, the flag is still the centerpiece of our national museum devoted to america's memory. at the maryland historical society in baltimore, our document is the focus of an 1812 exhibit that is second to none. and we celebrate mr. key's timeless words, four verses that

not only discover that a garrison flag has survived the chaos of battle but also described those stars and stripes as symbols of peace and victory for a new nation that aspires to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. at the start of this busy star spangled maryland summer aimed at bicentennial baltimore in september, the 170-year-old maryland historical society founded in part by the 1814 defenders themselves, is very proud to share this special moment with the smithsonian, the national capitol, and the entire nation. take time out during the next two weeks. visit two of america's most important icons together for the first time here in the national museum of american history's beautiful flag chamber. you will discover that it is a once in a lifetime experience. thank you very much. [ applause ]

>> thank you very much, mr. kummerow. now, i know we have a lot of people joining us all across the nation, all across the world via our webcast. but i want to take just a little moment to say something to the folks we have here. first off, how many people live in this area? [ cheers and applause ] >> that's all i'm going to get, really? all right. how many people of natives of the washington area? yes, yes. we here in the nation's capital have some of our own regional favorites and local styles. and we certainly appreciate the star spangled banner. we have a bit of a treat for you today because we have a group with local connections. they're from right up the road in potomac, maryland.

anybody from potomac? a couple of people. that's great. as a bonus for you, they're actually smithsonian folkways artists. it supports cultural diversity and increased understanding through sound. and i think you will like the sound they make. they have been featured at concerts, television, radio, even on the national mall during the american roots fourth of july celebration. i know you're going to love them. warner williams and jay summerour are a little bit of blues. >> thank you. thank you. all right. nice day. ♪

♪ if i don't get well ♪ if i don't get well ♪ i know how i'm going down ♪ i can tell my mama ♪ tell her ♪ write and tell my mama ♪ tell her ♪ tell her pray for me ♪ ask god forgive me for my sins ♪ ♪ don't send no doctor

♪ doctor won't do me no good ♪ don't send no doctor ♪ doctor won't do me no good ♪ just pray for me and do everything you should ♪ ♪ ♪ if i don't get well

♪ i had my fun ♪ if i don't get well no more ♪ might have to bury me because i know i'm going down ♪ ♪ on the next train south look for my clothes ♪ ♪ on the next train south look for my clothes bag ♪ ♪

♪ [ applause ] ♪ ♪ ♪ when i get the blues going to

get me a rocket ship ♪ ♪ going to rock rock mama going to rock away ♪ ♪ got the blues so bad it help hurts my tongue to hurt ♪ ♪ got the blues so bad it hurts my tongue to talk ♪ ♪ ♪ i love to hear my baby call my name ♪ ♪ i love to hear my baby call my name ♪ ♪ well

♪ ♪ well the blues ain't nothing but a poor man feeling bad ♪ ♪ i said the blues ain't nothing but a poor man feeling bad ♪ ♪ the worse feeling that i believe i ever had ♪ ♪ ♪ hurry mama bring my lollip lollipop ♪ i said hurry mama and bring my lollipop ♪ ♪ >> thank you.

>> thank you so much, gentlemen. >> thank you very much. >> thanks for the blues. star spangled banner, the bombardment at fort mchenry in baltimore 200 years ago. we have citizens of baltimore joining us online today right there. and they're from -- some of them are from ft. mchenry, the national site. they're hosting a watch party. i hope you're having as much fun there as we are here. the next speaker represents the people of baltimore. first as the city's mayor. now in his second term as governor of maryland. he is co-chair of the kournl of governors, was appointed to the first ever such council by president barack obama. it is my privilege to introduce you all today the honorable governor martin o'malley. [ applause ]

>> thank you very, very much. my name is martin o'malley, i'm the governor of maryland. it is a great honor to be here with all of you today on behalf of the people of maryland. people who in both of our country's wars of independence played such a central role, not only geographically, not only militarily, but also spiritually, in helping us to realize and define for ourselves what it meant to be an american. in one of the more poignant stories told of the commissioning of our giant star spangled banner, when major armstead and sam smith went to mary pinkersgill's home to commission this huge, huge flag, it was sewn together not only by

mary and her daughters, but also by a young 13-year-old african-american indentured ser servient girl. picture that. black hands, white hands sewing together the stars and stripes. and i would submit to you that the thread that held that flag together then is the thread that holds it together now. and it is the threat of human dignity, of neighbors helping neighbors, of neighbors believing in neighbors and believing in what we could accomplish together. one out of five of the defenders of baltimore in that shock and awe force that leveled washington turned on our city, one of the five defenders were african-american citizens of a still as yet very imperfect country. 50% of the defenders were immigrants or the sons and daughters of immigrants. together without regard to class or race they dug trenches around our city.

they held their ground. they defended this place, our place, the united states. just as the flag was made strong by the individual threads so, too, is our country today made stronger by the individual threads of each of our stories. remind your children in this bicentennial year when we are the first generation of americans to have experienced attacks on the continental united states, we are the first generation of americans to have felt what it was like to have our government buildings attacked. remind your children that freedom is not free and that our country's greatness is found in one another. that's what the star spangled banner is about. that's what this commemoration year is about, to tell that story and to lift every voice and to sing. thank you. [ applause ]

>> thank you very, very much, governor o'malley, for those words. when francis scott key wrote his famous words, o'er the land of the free, many people living in the land had no freedom. the march towards rights and equality had come to symbolize the american spirit for generations of people and continues to even today. james weldon and john rosenman johnson immortalized this in a song, a very special song that has come to be associated with the african-american civil rights movement, but whose ly c lyrics spoke to folks of all different cultures and backgrounds, much like our national anthem, the star-spangled banner.

please welcome at this time the composer and conductor, visionary in music education. he's the founder of the national award-winning young peoples chorus. they won the nation's highest honor for a youth program and were presented this award by first lady michelle obama at the white house. he's also a macarthur genius fellowship recipient. mr. francisco nunez to conduct the black national anthem lift every voice and sing. [ applause ] ♪

♪ ♪ lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring ♪ ♪ ring with the harmonies of liberty ♪ ♪ let our rejoicing rise ♪ high as the listning skies ♪ let it resound loud as the rolling sea ♪ ♪ stoney the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod ♪ ♪ felt in the days when hope unborn had died yet with a steady beat ♪

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ of our weary years, god of our silent tears ♪ ♪ thou who hast brought us thus far on the way ♪

♪ thou who hast by thy might ♪ led us into the light ♪ keep us forever in the path we pray ♪ ♪

♪ lest our feet stray from the places, our god, where we met thee ♪ lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee ♪ ♪ shadowed beneath thy hand, may we forever stand ♪ ♪ true to our god, true to our native land ♪ ♪ amen [ applause ]

>> thank you so much, everyone. it is truly great to come together in song with such amazing performances. here at national museum of american history, we have our own very rich musical collections. prince's guitar, several stradivarius strings are all in our collection. and those collections and performances represent all genres and eras of american music. of course if you're going to collect and interpret american music, you have to have jazz. and so what i would like to do for you today is introduce our orchestra in residence. they're going to help us celebrate the year 1931. now, this is a very important year. not just because jazz was king in 1931 with venues like the cotton club and big bands with exuberant and legendary band

leaders like duke ellington and others, but also because 1931 is the year that the star-spangled banner was adopted as our national anthem. so don't say you didn't learn anything from this program we have today. so, here are the smithsonian jazz master works orchestra under the artistic direction of charlie young and executive producer kim kimry, performing for you a jazz classic from that year, 1931. cab callaway's mini the nature. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ [ applause ]

♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ [ applause ] >> we want to thank francisco nunez for conducting. i had an opportunity to hang out with him earlier today and yesterday, and he really is amazing, and we really appreciate him coming.

so please give him another hand, if you will. yes. and also you guys we have real brave folks up here on the stage who have been braving this hot sun the whole time. our choir is wonderful. please give them another hand. [ applause ] that was mambo from "west side story" conducted by francisco nunez and featuring our choir here and also featuring the united states air force band. today -- yes, please. [ applause ] today the members of the united states air force band and singing sergeants are representing all the men and women of the armed forces who defend our flag and its ideals. do we have any veterans or military personnel today and even watching us?

can you please, everyone, if you will, stand and recognize them with a hand. [ applause ] thank you for your service and selfless sacrifice. we really want to appreciate that. and to pay tribute to all veterans, especially those who have given ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. here is technical sergeant daniel anderson and the united states air force band performing last measure of devotion followed by god bless america. ♪ ♪ in the long and honored

history of america ♪ ♪ there are names that shine like beacons in the night ♪ ♪ the patriots whose vision gave us meaning ♪ ♪ who kept the lamp of freedom burning bright ♪ ♪ in the long and honored history of america there are those who paid the last and final price ♪ ♪ who were called upon by chance or desperate circumstance to make the ultimate sacrifice ♪ ♪ a grateful nation bows its

head in sorrow ♪ ♪ and in thanks for guaranteeing our tomorrow ♪ ♪ the last full measure of devotion ♪ ♪ that's what they gave to the cause ♪ ♪ the last full measure of devotion and though they cannot hear our applause ♪ ♪ we honor them forever and keep alive their story ♪ ♪ pay tribute to their lives and give them all the glory ♪

♪ the last full measure of devotion ♪ ♪ beyond the call of duty were their deeds ♪ ♪ the last full measure of devotion ♪ ♪ they gave themselves to serve the greater need ♪ ♪ and for those who did survive and came back home alive ♪ ♪ they join in praise of comrades who were slain ♪ ♪ and highly resolved most highly resolved ♪ ♪ that these dead shall not have died in vain ♪ ♪ the last full measure of

devotion beyond the call of duty were their deeds ♪ ♪ the last full measure of devotion they gave themselves to serve the greater need ♪ ♪ and for those who did survive and came back home alive ♪ ♪ they join in praise of comrades who were slain ♪ ♪ and highly resolved most highly resolved ♪ ♪ that these dead shall not have died in vain snts ♪

♪ in vain [ applause ] ♪

♪ while the storm clouds gather far across the sea ♪ ♪ let us swear allegiance to a land that's free ♪ ♪ let us all be grateful for a land so fair ♪ ♪ as we raise our voices in solemn prayer ♪ ♪ god bless america ♪ land that i love

♪ stand beside her and guide her ♪ ♪ through the night with a light from above ♪ ♪ from the mountains, to the prairies ♪ ♪ to the oceans white with foam ♪ ♪ god bless america my home sweet home ♪ ♪ god bless america land that i love ♪ ♪ stand beside her and guide her ♪ ♪ thru the night with a light from above ♪

♪ from the mountains to the prairies ♪ ♪ to the oceans white with foam ♪ ♪ god bless america my home sweet home ♪ ♪ god bless america my home sweet home ♪ [ applause ]

>> all right, everyone. our national sing-along is almost here. we're just minutes away. i would like to introduce you to our next guest, who i am really excited about. she was adopted from a family in woodstock, but born in romania. understand she has a brother on the capitol police force right here in washington, d.c. here to prove the words of woody guthrie's timelessode to the american spirit, this land is your land, please welcome kristen capolino.

♪ this land is your land this land is my land ♪ ♪ from california to the new york island ♪ ♪ from the redwood forest to the gulfstream waters ♪ ♪ this land was made for you and me ♪ ♪ as i was walking that ribbon of highway i saw above me that enedless skyway ♪ ♪ i saw below me that golden valley this land was made for

you and me ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ this land is your land this land is my land ♪ ♪ from california to the new york island ♪ ♪ from the redwood forest, to the gulfstream waters ♪ ♪ this land was made for you and me ♪ ♪ [ applause ] ♪ [ applause ]

>> thank you. >> thank you. i'd like to ask all our speakers, guests and performers to join me on stage please because it's just about that time for us to sing together. you know, 200 years ago when the british marched and sailors sailed on baltimore, francis scott key was on a british ship and witnessed that attack, the bombardment of fort mchenry. imagine how his worry turned to joy in the morning when the smoke began to clear and he saw the red, white, and blue of a hand-sewn flag still flying. i'd like to invite our speakers and all of you here in honor of all who have served our country,

everyone who appreciates the ideals and cultures on the freedoms on which we stand to join us in song on this flag day for the 200 it's year of its existence. please stand and sing with me the united states national anthem, the star spangled banner. ♪ oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ ♪ what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ whose broad stripes and bright

stars through the perilous fight ♪ ♪ o'er the ramparts we watched were still gallantly streaming ♪ ♪ and the rockets' red glare the bombs bursting in air ♪ ♪ gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wave ♪ ♪ o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave ♪ ♪

[ applause ] >> we want to wish the star spangled banner a happy 200th birthday and hope there are 200 more to come. i want to thank all of you watching on the web stream and all of you here today and all of our partners including everyone up on stage here tonight. the men and women of the air force, a big hand. [ applause ] as well as the smithsonian

institution and partners in washington, d.c. and across the country. make sure to help clean our national mall clean by disposing of your trash in the appropriate places. if there is trash that doesn't belong to anyone please pick it up. it would help out our parks employees. thank you very much, guys, and be good. all right? you're watching american history tv. 48 hours of programming on american history everyone weekend on cspan 3. each week american history

tv's reel america brings you archival films that help tell the story of the 20th century. next a portion of the newsreel series army-navy screen magazine, intended for servicemen around the globe they appeared between 1943 and 1946 and supervised by a film director and aerge major frank kapra. the experience of our armies in africa and europe has emphasized the importance of rail transportation in combat areas and the importance of organizing and training railroad baa italians for use overseas. all these officers and most of these enlisted men are old hands from the great railroads of america. once they put on fatigues they start at the beginning again and learn railroading the army way

until they can strip and reassemble a locomotive under field conditions. these are government owned train sheds and repair shops at camp claiborne. after they learn the gnomen collateture of the oirn horse this there is a strip to practice on. in total war railroading is a weapon and the work of coupling freight cars is a soldier's work and the soldiers at claiborne run a regularly escaped train each day. this is no milk train. these men are schooled to work under fire and combat areas. they furnish their own security and observation. when day hit trouble it's their mission to repair the damage and keep the train running.

♪ after the damage is estimated, the call for repair crews goes from the cig smallman to the claiborne operator to the dispatcher and the crews pull out. some of them traveling overland in trucks. some of them coming up along the rails on hand cars. ♪ bulldozers level the bombed roadbed an flat cars bring up new rails. a stretch of track carrying supplies can be the lifeline of an army or a campaign. long reaches of track are vulnerable to sabotaging and

aerial attack. men trained on the classify borne line have done vital work under fire on the battlefields of africa and europe and reconditioning lines destroyed by the enemy in retreat. the importance of this work increases as the allies cut deeper into europe and their armies move further inland from their coastal supply depots. railroads push ammunition, food and equipment across yesterday's battlefields up to the expanding front. you can watch this and all other reel america programs at csp cspan.org. just enter reel america into the search engine. with live coverage of the u.s. house on cspan 2 and 3 we

show you the public affairs events and on weekends we are home to american history tv with programs that tell our nation's story including the civic war's 150th anniversary visiting battlefields and key events, american artifacts touring american sites. history bookshelf with the best known history writers. the presidency look at the policies and legacies of our commanders in chief. lectures in history, and our new series, reel america featuring or kievl government and educational firms from the 1930s through the '70s. c-span 3. watch us in hd, like us on facebook and follow us on twitter. now on american artifacts, the mars