MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - On this day, March 3, 1931, The Star Spangled Banner became the United States’ official national anthem. The song was composed in 1814 by Francis Scott Key, after he watched the British Royal Navy attack Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. The song was originally published in newspapers around Baltimore, and it became popular among branches of the U.S. Military. President Woodrow Wilson declared the song the official anthem of the U.S. Armed Forces in 1916, and in 1931, Congress passed an act to make it the official national anthem, with President Herbert Hoover signing the law on March 3. Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert weather app.

Source: The Star March 03, 2026 18:49 UTC