American Legion Boys Nation Senators learn the story behind "The Star-Spangled Banner"

During a trip to Fort McHenry, 2025 American Legion Boys Nation senators learned the story behind the national anthem, hoisted and lowered a U.S. flag on the fort’s famous pole and then toured the area inside the fort. ⁠ ⁠ Arizona Boys Nation senator Charlie Nelles said off-site visits like the trip to Fort McHenry add an extra layer to the Boys Nation experience. ⁠ ⁠ “It just makes the trip more valuable,” he said. “Going out and seeing the values we talk about in practice, and seeing our nation’s history and all of the different things that we’re discussing ... Learning about the American flag that we say a pledge to at the start of every session, it just makes it like tying the lesson together about what we’re doing in the Senate.”⁠ ⁠ Read more about other Boys Nation activities happening this week at legion.org/boysnation or by tapping the link in our bio⁠ ⁠