Maryland votes to nix state song, a Confederate call to arms

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland lawmakers have voted to repeal Maryland’s state song, which is a Civil War-era call to arms for the Confederacy.

The House of Delegates gave final passage Monday to send the bill to Gov. Larry Hogan. The governor’s spokesman declined to say whether Hogan would sign the bill, because it has not been formally presented to him, but he noted the governor doesn’t like the song.

“Maryland, My Maryland” was written as a poem in 1861 by James Ryder Randall and adopted as the state song in 1939.

Lawmakers have tried to replace it since 1974.

PHOTO CREDIT: Library of Congress, Music Division.  The contents of the Library of Congress Civil War Sheet Music Collection are in the public domain and are free to use and reuse.

Story Source: AP – All contents copyright 2021 Associated Press.  All rights reserved.