BALTIMORE, March 18, 2014 — The Maryland Historical Society (MdHS) is partnering with the ship Pride of Baltimore II to celebrate Maryland Day with special events in Baltimore and Annapolis on Monday, March 24 and Tuesday, March 25, 2014.
On Monday, March 24, Pride of Baltimore II will make a special voyage from Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore to the City Dock in Annapolis.
On board Pride of Baltimore II will be the 30 x 42 foot Star-Spangled Banner flag that over 1,000 Maryland Historical Society volunteers created in the summer of 2013 using authentic fabric and hand stitching techniques. The flag gained international media attention for The Maryland Historical Society and its partners in commemoration of the bicentennial of the War of 1812 and the National Anthem.
Burt Kummerow, President of the Maryland Historical Society, said that this March 25th has double importance. “Maryland sets aside March 25th every year to celebrate the founding of Maryland in 1634. This year, Maryland Day also points to the beginnings of Star Spangled Banner events remembering the writing of our country’s national anthem.”
Following the voyage, beginning at 12:15 PM on Tuesday, March 25, Pride of Baltimore II and the Maryland Historical Society will join forces with several other partners commemorating Maryland’s Star Spangled 200 events.
A procession featuring the recreated Star-Spangled Banner will take place from the Annapolis City Dock to the steps of the State House. At 12:30PM, the recreated Star-Spangled Banner will be unfurled for the first time at the State House, followed by a grant award ceremony presided by Governor Martin O’Malley. The recreated flag will then return to be hoisted on Pride of Baltimore II later that afternoon. The general public is welcome and invited to attend the ceremony. Free tours of Pride of Baltimore II will also be offered between 2 & 4:00 PM.
The complete schedule of Maryland Day events is as follows:
Tuesday, March 25
Baltimore 10:00 AM: Society of Colonial Wars Wreath Laying and Blessing of the Star-Spangled Banner Flag
Location: Baltimore Courthouse, Cecilius Calvert Statue
Annapolis 12:15 PM: Procession of recreated Star-Spangled Banner flag to State House
Location: Annapolis City Dock
12:30 PM-1:30 PM: The recreated Star-Spangled Banner flag will be unfurled on the steps of the west (modern) end of the State House. Flag stitchers and local school children will display the Flag in a short ceremony
Location: Annapolis State House
1:00 PM: Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley presents Star-Spangled 200 grants to fifteen organizations from across the State.
Location: Annapolis State House steps
1:30 PM: Return procession to City Dock with Star-Spangled Banner flag
Location: Annapolis Statehouse
2:00 – 4:00 PM: Tours of Pride of Baltimore II will be free and available to the general public. Flag Talks will be given by National Park Service staff
Location: Annapolis City Dock
4:30 – 6:30 PM Private reception at City Dock on Pride of Baltimore II for General Assembly
Location: Annapolis City Dock
5:00 PM Former State Archivist Dr. Ed Papenfuse keynote remarks about the meaning of Maryland Day
Location: Annapolis City Dock
What Is Maryland Day?
Ark and Dove, John Moll, MdHS, M1955.44.1
In March, 1634, after a long, difficult Atlantic winter crossing, the ships Ark and Dove sailed up the Potomac River. The March 25, 1634 mass on St. Clements Island celebrated the beginning of spring and the planting season, the Feast of the Annunciation and a fragile but hopeful escape from the religious bigotry that was rampant in 17th century Europe. In 1903, Maryland leaders set aside March 25 as a day devoted to remembering Maryland history. In 1916, as the United States entered a world war, the Old Line State turned Maryland History Day into an official holiday.
The Star-Spangled Banner’s Bicentennial Celebrations Continue
The recreated Star-Spangled Banner flag with its stitchers and Education Director Kristin Schenning
Maryland Historical Society President Burt Kummerow said, “We can’t think of a better way to begin our Star-Spangled Year than to unfurl our authentic recreation of the historic flag on the steps of the Maryland Statehouse.”
The Maryland Day celebration marks the second time the recreated Star-Spangled Banner will be on view to the public. On Defenders Day, 2013, the recreated Star-Spangled Banner flew for the first time at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore. The recreated Star-Spangled Banner will be featured this summer as part of Flag Day festivities at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. The original manuscript of The Star-Spangled Banner, penned in Francis Scott Key’s hand, will be on loan to the National Museum of American History from June 14-July 6, 2014.
The Maryland Historical Society is partnering with the following organizations to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812; Pride of Baltimore II, Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, the General Assembly and the Statehouse Trust, the 1812 Bicentennial Commission, Star Spangled 200, Inc., the Ark and Dove Society, the Society of Colonial Wars and Historic Annapolis. The festivities will culminate in September, 2014 with a statewide “Star-Spangled Spectacular” celebration. For full details visit: http://www.starspangled200.com/.
For details about Pride of Baltimore II’s voyage from Baltimore to Annapolis, contact Marketing Manager Kate Cwiek at 410-539-1170 or kate@pride.org.
For details about the recreated Star-Spangled Banner and Maryland Day events with The Maryland Historical Society, contact Marketing Director Laura Rodini at lrodini@mdhs.org or by phone: 410-685-3750 ext. 322.
For details about the Governor’s Grant Ceremony, please contact Marketing and PR Director for Star-Spangled 200, Jill Feinberg at 410-767-6267 or jfeinberg@starspangled200.com.
About Pride of Baltimore II
Pride of Baltimore II represents early 19th Century Baltimore-built, topsail schooners – the sleek, fast, and maneuverable vessels famous during the War of 1812. These schooners were privately owned, well-armed privateers that ran the British blockade of the U.S. ports. Chasseur was the largest, most successful of these privateers, and in a daring voyage to Great Britain, captured 17 British ships earning the nickname “Pride of Baltimore.” Since her commissioning in October of 1988, Pride has traveled over 250,000 nautical miles, visited 40 countries, and docked in over 200 ports of call. For more information on Pride’s 2014 sailing schedule, education initiatives, or membership program, please visit www.pride2.org.
About The Maryland Historical Society
Founded in 1844, The Maryland Historical Society Museum and Library occupies an entire city block in the Mount Vernon district of Baltimore. The society’s mission is to “collect, preserve, and interpret the objects and materials that reflect Maryland’s diverse cultural heritage.” The Society is home to the original manuscript of the Star-Spangled Banner and publishes a quarterly titled “Maryland Historical Magazine.” Visit www.mdhs.org.
About Star-Spangled 200
Star-Spangled 200, a national bicentennial in Maryland, commemorates the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner and the War of 1812. Star-Spangled Sailabration in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and the Chesapeake Bay launched the multi-year commemoration in June 2012. Sailabration included a maritime festival with 45 vessels from a dozen nations and an airshow featuring the Blue Angels, and drew more than 1.5 million visitors. Star-Spangled 200 continued Spring 2013 through Summer 2014 with the Chesapeake Campaign, a series of more than a dozen festivals in waterfront communities around the Bay. Two conferences were held at the U.S. Naval Academy in 2013 – Cross Tech, June 10-11 and From Enemies to Allies, June 12-15 – bringing together leaders in cyber security and scholars from the U.K, Canada and the U.S. Events will culminate with Star-Spangled Spectacular, September 6-16, 2014, celebrating the 200th birthday of the National Anthem. Star-Spangled 200 is supported by its Presenting Sponsor AT&T with Founding Partner support from Constellation and Papa John’s. For more information, please visit www.StarSpangled200.com or www.StarSpangled200.org.