Francis Scott Key (1779 – 1843) was an American lawyer, poet, and author, best known for writing The Star-Spangled Banner, which became the U.S. national anthem. Inspired by the Battle of Baltimore (1814) during the War of 1812, he wrote the lyrics after witnessing Fort McHenry withstand British bombardment.
Born in Maryland, he studied law at St. John's College and built a successful legal career in Washington, D.C. He served as U.S. District Attorney (1833 – 1841) under Andrew Jackson, handling major cases, including the Burr conspiracy trial. Though he opposed slavery’s cruelty, he owned enslaved people and supported the American Colonization Society, advocating for resettlement in Africa.
Key’s poem Defence of Fort M’Henry was set to the melody of To Anacreon in Heaven and gained popularity. Officially adopted as the national anthem in 1931, the song remains a symbol of American resilience.
He died in 1843 and was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Maryland. His legacy as a lawyer, patriot, and poet endures, though his views on slavery remain a subject of historical debate.