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American lawyer, author, and amateur poet best known for writing the lyrics to the United States' national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner".Born in Maryland, Key witnessed the British bombardment of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. Inspired by the sight of the American flag still flying at dawn, he wrote the poem "Defence of Fort M'Henry". This poem was set to the tune of a popular British song and became "The Star-Spangled Banner", officially adopted as the U.S. national anthem in 1931. Key had a long career as a lawyer and served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

• Key was a devout Episcopalian and initially opposed the War of 1812 on religious grounds, though he served briefly in a militia unit.
• He was aboard a British ship negotiating the release of a prisoner during the bombardment of Fort McHenry, giving him a front-row view of the event that inspired the anthem.
• Key owned enslaved people throughout his life, though he later became active in the American Colonization Society, which advocated sending freed Black people to Africa (Liberia). This complex stance on slavery remains a point of historical discussion.
• He died of pleurisy in Baltimore at the home of his daughter at the age of 63.
• Despite the anthem's fame, Key had no significant musical training or career; he was solely the lyricist.