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Hail to the Spirit of Liberty
John Philip Sousa
Sousa and his band represented the United States at the Paris Exposition of 1900. This was the first overseas tour of the band, and it was enthusiastically received throughout Europe.
The highlight of the Paris engagement was the unveiling of the Lafayette Monument on July 4. It was presented on behalf of the children of the United States by Ferdinand W. Peck, commissioner general of the Paris Exposition, as President Loubet of France looked on. The monument portrayed Lafayette on horseback offering his sword to the American cause in the Revolutionary War and was draped with a huge American flag. At the unveiling, the Sousa Band gave the first performance of Hail to the Spirit of Liberty which was composed specifically for that occasion.
Materials for the march were taken from an abandoned choral finale to his then-running opera Chris and the Wonderful Lamp. For his efforts, the French government awarded Sousa the Palmes d’Officier d’Academie, which he wore on his uniform until his death.