When we became allies with them in WWII, the verse drops out of use in “The Star-Spangled Banner.” O thus be it ever when freemen shall stand There is some contention over the word usage here.

This flag, which measured 30 feet by 42 feet, was the original Star-Spangled Banner that inspired the lines ... include Marvin Gaye’s 1983 NBA All-Star Game performance, Jimi Hendrix’s ...

As such, it is appropriate to consider what the transition means for Black America, and how its musicians have interpreted the “Star Spangled Banner ... Revolution, an all-white organization ...