Professor To Present 'Star-Spangled' Program At Library

Learn about early American flags and the origin of the national anthem at a free program in Neligh on Sunday afternoon.

"The Star-Spangled Banner: The Flag, the Song, and the War of 1812,” will be presented at 2 p.m. in the Neligh Public Library. Refreshments will be provided.

Donald Hickey, a Wayne State College history professor and author of several books, will be the speaker. 

Hickey will describe the War of 1812 and how the British assault on Fort McHenry produced these great symbols. This program will also discuss early flags and describe how Francis Scott Key came to write the “Star-Spangled Banner” and how the song became the official anthem of the United States.

This presentation is made possible by Humanities Nebraska, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, and the Neligh Library Foundation. It is one of approximately 300 programs offered through the Humanities Nebraska Speakers Bureau. The more than 165 available speakers include acclaimed scholars, writers, musicians, storytellers and folklorists on topics ranging from pioneer heritage to ethics and law to international and multicultural issues, making it the largest humanities speakers bureau in the nation.

Speakers are available to any non-profit organization in Nebraska. Each program lasts 30 minutes to an hour, plus a question-and-answer period.

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