A Timeless Christmas Gift to America: Stars and Stripes Forever

Freemason and composer John Philip Sousa gave all Americans and an extraordinary gift on Christmas Day in 1896 with his timeless march, “Stars and Stripes Forever”.

Sousa and his wife Jane were on the final leg of a grand European tour and returning home to the United States on a steamship. Having recently learned of the death of David Blakely, who managed the Sousa Band, Sousa was filled with emotion not only from the loss of his friend but also with a heart full of love for America.