Definitive Answer

[DonKelley@aol.com]

"God Bless America" was written in 1918 by Irving Berlin, who, by the way, was born in Russia.  HIs family moved to New York when he was young.  He's known for "Easter Parade," "White Christmas" and other famous songs, but nobody really knew "God Bless America" for about 20 years until Kate Smith sang it on the radio on Armistice Day in 1938.

"America The Beautiful" was written in Wellesley in 1892 by Katherine Lee Bates.  Bates was born in Falmouth.  She moved to Wellesley in her teens where she went to college and lived her adult life.  She was the English Department Head at Wellesley College.

The Katherine Lee Bates elementary school is on Elmwood Road in Wellesley.  In the lobby is the framed original lyric of "America The Beautiful" hand-written by Bates.  So what did she actually write?

"Purple Mountain Majesties"

Your witness.