José Feliciano’s National Anthem
By hola | Published | No Comments
Photos and video link courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution
In 1968, the Puerto-Rican singer-songwriter, José Feliciano, performed The Star-Spangled Banner during the World Series at Detroit’s Tiger Stadium. His unique rendition, infused with a slow folk tempo and Latin rhythms, was greeted with controversy that almost derailed his career at a time when the country was divided by issues including the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement.
Fifty years later, the National Museum of American History invited Feliciano to play his version of the National Anthem again at a naturalization ceremony on Flag Day this past June 14. Strumming the same guitar on stage in the National History Museum’s Flag Hall, Feliciano performed the National Anthem before an audience of newly naturalized U.S. citizens.
Feliciano welcomed the 19 new citizens standing next to him on stage, wishing them well as they embark on what he called “a great adventure.” They and the rest of the audience, filled with their family and friends, erupted in an overwhelming round of applause after his speech and once again when he finished performing the Star-Spangled Banner. Onlookers visiting the museum joined in on the celebration by cheering from the third floor as they were peering down at Feliciano and the new citizens who stood at the center of the Flag Hall.
“America will always be great because of the people who come to it,” Feliciano told the audience, in an apparent rebuke of President Trump’s famous slogan.
Among the 16 countries represented among the new citizens were immigrants from several Spanish-speaking countries including Spain, Bolivia, and Peru. Feliciano encouraged them to take advantage of the resources available to them, such as English as a Second Language courses offered in the District, as a way to increase their opportunities and success.
In 1968, Feliciano faced heated criticisms as well as effusive praise for the way he had remade the iconic national tune. Not unlike the current debate about athletes’ body language during the national anthem, his performance was polarizing. Audiences today are more receptive of personalized interpretations of the anthem, which have become a part of popular culture rather than deemed unpatriotic. At the time, however, some interpreted Feliciano’s anthem as an affront to American values; others saw it as a beautiful expression of American values and diversity.
The museum typically holds naturalization ceremonies on Flag Day. Curators “determine what objects should come to the museum to tell national stories about American history and culture,” according to Melinda Machado, the museum’s director of communications and marketing.
This year, the museum decided that Feliciano’s 50th anniversary of his 1968 rendition of the national anthem is a significant moment that the museum felt should be commemorated. After the performance he donated the guitar to the museum, joking with the audience about how hard it would be for him to let go of his “girlfriend.” He also shared his surprise when museum officials first approached him with a donation request.
Previously, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History has invited several Latino performers over the years to donate objects to its collection including Celia Cruz, Paquito d’Rivera, and Tito Puente. Selena Quintanilla’s family donated her performance costume after her death as well, and the families of Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill and Ramón “Mongo” Santamaría donated their materials, all of which became part of the museum’s collection.
Watch the original 1968 performance
—Delia Beristain Noriega
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