United States Marine Band
The U.S. Marine Band pictured in 2008
Active1798 – Present
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Marine Corps
TypeMilitary band
RolePublic duties
Size160[1]
Part ofHeadquarters Marine Corps
Garrison/HQMarine Barracks Washington
Nickname(s)"The President's Own"
PatronThe President of the United States
EngagementsBattle of Bladensburg[a]
Websitemarineband.marines.mil
Commanders
DirectorCol. Jason Fettig
Assistant DirectorCapt. Ryan J. Nowlin
Assistant DirectorCapt. Bryan P. Sherlock
Drum MajorMaster Gunnery Sergeant Duane F. King
Concert MistressStaff Sergeant Karen Johnson
Notable
commanders
John Philip Sousa
Francis Scala
Francesco Fanciulli
Michael J. Colburn
Insignia
Emblem

The United States Marine Band (also known as the U.S. Marine Band and "The President's Own") is a military band maintained by the United States Marine Corps (USMC), one of twelve such bands so-maintained by the USMC. Activated in 1798, and continuously operational since, it is the oldest professional music organization in the United States and among the oldest military units in the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Marine Band was designated "The President's Own" by order of Thomas Jefferson and the band's principal mission is to provide music for the President of the United States.

The early development of the U.S. Marine Band was influenced by Italian martial music, performers from Italy were recruited to serve as members of the band and five of its early leaders were Italian natives, including Francis Scala who headed the band for 18 years. During the directorate of John Philip Sousa, the band established itself as one of the finest military bands in the world. It is one of the first known musical ensembles to have made sound recordings of its performances and was an inaugural inductee to the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.

The office of director of the Marine Band is established in the Law of the United States and he simultaneously serves as an official adviser to the President. The director of the Marine Band has been described as "the most powerful commander in the Marine Corps". As of 2019 the U.S. Marine Band is composed of 160 personnel and is directly subordinate to Headquarters Marine Corps. It is posted at Marine Barracks Washington.

History

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President of the United States Thomas Jefferson directed the recruitment of musicians from Italy to staff the Marine Band, and later designated the ensemble "The President's Own".
 
Under the leadership of John Philip Sousa, the Marine Band grew to become "the finest military band in the world".
 
The U.S. Marine Band's logbook from December 7, 1941, reads "White House at 12:30 p.m. Formal luncheon, Special Full Dress Uniform. President did not join guests at dinner. Leader in charge. At 2:25 p.m. Leader was informed by Mr. Searles, Assistant Usher, that Japan was making an air raid on Hawaii. Luncheon finished at 2:45 p.m."

"...the only force that cannot be transferred from Washington, without my express permission, are members of the Marine Band. They are the only forces I have."[2]

John F. Kennedy

 
Frank Sinatra performs with the U.S. Marine Band during a 1973 White House reception for Prime Minister of Italy Giulio Andreotti
Violinists of the Marine Chamber Orchestra perform "The Stars and Stripes Forever", the national march of the United States
 
Gen. James F. Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps, oversees the change of command of the U.S. Marine Band in 2014 as reviewing officer. The U.S. Marine Band is directly subordinate to Headquarters Marine Corps.
Director, U.S Marine Band, arrives on deck at Severance Hall during the band's 2018 National Concert Tour.
 
The U.S. Marine Band pictured during the official arrival ceremony for West German chancellor Willy Brandt in 1970
A component of the Marine Band leads the pass in review during a Medal of Honor presentation ceremony at Marine Barrack Washington
 
A 1983 color plate shows uniforms of the U.S. Marine Band (from left to right): ceremonial dress, special full dress, director, assistant director, drum major.

Origins and early years

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The U.S. Marine Band is the oldest professional music organization in the United States still in existence and among the oldest military units in the United States Armed Forces.[3][b] Established by a statute signed by John Adams on July 11, 1798, the U.S. Marine Band initially consisted of a drum major, fife major, and 32 drummers and fifers.[5][6]

Following his inauguration as President, Thomas Jefferson bemoaned the state of musical sophistication in the United States, observing that "fortune has cast my lot in a country where it is in a deplorable state of barbarism".[7] In 1802 the traditional fife and drum corps that had been the Marine Band was reformed into a brass band.[8] Jefferson later directed Commandant of the Marine Corps William Ward Burrows to recruit Italian musicians for the U.S. Marine Band and, in 1805, 16 Sicilians joined the ensemble's ranks.[7] The Italians soon became discouraged by the primitive state of the city of Washington, which was still under construction, and within eighteen months all had quit and returned to Sicily. Nonetheless, they left a lasting influence on the band in terms of its quality and professionalism.[9] Jefferson would ultimately designate the band "The President's Own".[6]

During the War of 1812, bandsmen were detached and assigned to serve as marine infantry with the ad hoc company formed from the garrison of Marine Barracks Washington to slow the British advance into Washington.[10] They saw action at the Battle of Bladensburg, during which United States forces were routed by the British Army.[10] Following the collapse of the capital's defenses, bandsmen assisted with the evacuation of the federal government.[10] During the Second Seminole War, when the entirety of the Marine Corps was dispatched to Florida, the band was assigned to perform guard duty at Marine Barracks Washington and the Washington Navy Yard.

The influence of Italian martial music continued on the ensemble after the early war years and several of its early leaders were natives of Italy, including Venerando Pulizzi (1824 to 1827), Joseph Lucchesi (1844 to 1846), Francis Scala (1855 to 1871), Louis Schneider (1873 to 1880), and Francesco Fanciulli (1892 to 1897).[11][12][13]

During the presidency of John Tyler, the Marine Band began the custom of playing public concerts on the grounds of the White House, the first such performance occurring on January 7, 1845.[14] The band was embarked aboard USS Princeton, accompanying President John Tyler, during the 1844 gun explosion that killed United States Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur and United States Secretary of the Navy Thomas Walker Gilmer.[14]

John Philip Sousa

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In 1880, 25 year-old John Philip Sousa – a professional musician who had served in the Marine Band from age 13 to 20 and who was, himself, the son of a Marine Band musician – was recalled to Washington to assume command of the ensemble as its 17th leader, and the first American-born.[15][16] Sousa led the band from 1880 to his 1892 retirement.[16] During this period, the band came to be colloquially referred to as the National Band.[16]

Though he would later object to recorded music, during his time as head of the U.S. Marine Band, Sousa saw more than 400 of its performances recorded by the Columbia Phonograph Company, making the Marine Band among the earliest musical ensembles to be widely recorded and propelling the group to heightened levels of national fame.[17]

20th Century

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In 1899 the size of the band was increased from 30 to 60 personnel.[18] During the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, the size of the band was further increased to 70.[14]

In 1931 the band was given a weekly show on NBC Radio. Titled The Dream Hour, the program ran until 1960. At the time of its cancellation it was the longest-running program on network radio.

The 1942 documentary film United States Marine Band, a look at the Marine Band directed by Jean Negulesco, was nominated for an Academy Award during the 15th Academy Awards.[19][20]

Though never officially prohibited from enlistment in the band, the first woman was not accepted as a member of the ensemble until 1973 when hornist Ruth Johnson joined.[21] Thirty-two years later, in 2005, Sara Sheffield became the band's first female feature vocalist.[22]

The 200th anniversary of the founding of the Marine Band was observed in 1998 with a display at the White House Visitor's Center that included an 1890 wax cylinder of a march performed by the band, and an early 20th century band uniform.[23] During that year it was inducted into the inaugural class of the American Classical Music Hall of Fame. Anniversary celebrations culminated with a gala concert at the Kennedy Center, attended by President Bill Clinton and First Lady of the United States Hillary Clinton.

Later years

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Since 2000, the U.S. Marine Band has seen three directors: Col. Timothy W. Foley, Col. Michael J. Colburn, and Col. Jason Fettig. In 2018, the U.S. Marine Band selected its first female assistant drum major, Gunnery Sergeant Stacie Crowther.[24]

The Marine Band was named as an artist in its first regional Emmy Award in 2018, given in the category Special Event Coverage Other than News and Sports, for the WNET-TV broadcast of the television special United States Marine Band "New England Spirit".[25][26]

Notable performances

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The Marine Band has performed with Frank Sinatra, John Williams, Bob McGrath, Yo-Yo Ma, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stevie Wonder, Gloria Estefan, Itzhak Perlman, and other notable musicians.[27][28]

Presidents of the United States Warren Harding and Bill Clinton have both performed with the Marine Band, Harding on sousaphone and Clinton on saxophone.[23][29] The first president to conduct the U.S. Marine Band was George W. Bush, who briefly assumed personal command of the band during the performance of "The Stars and Stripes Forever" at a 2004 dinner.[30]

Due to its primary mission in service to the President, the U.S. Marine Band rarely leaves the United States.[31] Its first overseas performance came 187 years after its founding when, in 1985, it gave a concert at De Doelen Concert Hall in Rotterdam. In 1990 it toured the Soviet Union. In 2001 the U.S. Marine Band performed in Switzerland and, 18 years later, deployed outside the United States a fourth time for a performance in Japan with the Central Band of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.[31]

Other Marine Corps and presidential bands

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In addition to the U.S. Marine Band, the Marine Corps maintains the United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps "The Commandant's Own", and ten field bands assigned to marine divisions and air wings. Unlike personnel in the U.S. Marine Band, musicians of "The Commandant's Own" and the field bands complete U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Training and are combat-deployable; during emergencies, the field bands are reconfigurable into command post defense platoons.

While the U.S. Marine Band bears the designation "The President's Own", the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets are the official fanfare unit of the United States presidency.[32]

Structure and personnel

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Ensembles

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As of 2019, the United States Marine Band consists of 160 personnel including 130 enlisted musicians, and 30 officers and support staff.[1] It is divided into the Marine Band and the Marine Chamber Orchestra.

The Marine Band is the ceremonial marching unit of the U.S. Marine Band and operates as a 42-piece ensemble for official arrival ceremonies at The Pentagon and the Friday Evening Parade, as a 49-piece ensemble for state arrival ceremonies at the White House, or as a 99-piece ensemble for state funerals and the presidential inauguration. The Marine Chamber Orchestra, meanwhile, was formed in 1955 to perform dinner and concert music at the White House, though string instrumentalists had been enlisted in the U.S. Marine Band as far back as 1879.

The Directorate

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Early heads of the U.S. Marine Band were titled "Leaders". The directorate was created in XXXX and established by an Act of Congress within Title 10 of the United States Code, which provides that the directorate shall consist of one director and two assistant directors. The director of the U.S. Marine Band holds concurrent responsibility as adviser to the President of the United States on questions of music and musical affairs.[33][34][35] According to Colonel Raymond P. Ayres III, his father – Lt. General Raymond Ayres, former commander of Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic – once described the director of the Marine Band as "the most powerful commander in the Marine Corps" due to the fact USMC regulations give the director absolute authority to award promotions, this authority being customarily "unquestionable"; promotion to director itself requires the recommendation of the director, making the directorate essentially self-perpetuating.[36]

In place of a unit color, changes of command in the U.S. Marine Band are accomplished by the passing of the John Philip Sousa Baton from incoming to outgoing director under the supervision of the Commandant of the Marine Corps as reviewing officer. The baton, originally presented to Sousa by members of the band on the occasion of his 1892 retirement, was donated to the United States Government by the Sousa family in 1953 and, when not used for change of command ceremonies, is held at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

Musicians

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Until the second half of the 19th century, enlistment in the Marine Band was open to children as young as 13 years who could join in the rank Musician Apprentice. They would spend their childhood training in instrumental performance in preparation for eventual service to the president as a regular bandsman. Education of musician apprentices in non-music subjects, such as reading and mathematics, would be done under the tutelage of the band's assistant drum major.

In the modern era, persons enlisted to the U.S. Marine Band as musicians are obligated for duty "with the U.S. Marine Band only" and may not be transferred or reassigned to other units.[37] While enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps is not generally restricted by citizenship status, membership in the U.S. Marine Band is limited to citizens of the United States.

Candidates selected to the U.S. Marine Band enter military service at the rank of Staff Sergeant, automatically advancing past the five lower enlisted ranks.[37] Auditions are considered are highly competitive.[38] In 2019, a trumpet audition occurred in three rounds with candidates expected to perform more than a dozen pieces including “Danse napolitaine” from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, "The Royal March" from Stravinsky's Histoire du soldat, Ottorino Respighi's The Pines of Rome, and Jean-Baptiste Arban's "Fantaisie Brillante".

In 1920 the average period of service of bandsmen was 18 years, this had increased to 28 years as of 1991 and, in 2019, the Marine Band noted that "many Marine Band musicians serve for 20 years or more" placing the average bandsman in his 40s at the point of separation.[39][40][1] By contrast, as of 2017, the average age of all United States marines at separation was about 27 years.[41] Prior to retirement in 2013, Marine Band historian Master Gunnery Sergeant Michael Ressler was the longest-serving marine in the USMC at the time, having served more than 39 years.[42]

U.S. Marine Band personnel are exempt from United States Marine Corps Recruit Training.[37] By not completing Marine Recruit Training, bandsmen represent a unique exception to the Marine ethos of "every Marine a rifleman".[43] This exception has led to the occasional contention that U.S. Marine Band personnel are not "real marines".[36][44] Raymond Ayres III, former commander of All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, in a paper for the Marine Command Staff College, has observed that "the history of our Country, our Corps, and the Band is inexorably intertwined ... although there are several unique characteristics about the Marine Band and the way it operates, the explanation of such differences is often found in the same history and traditions that Marines hold dear".[36] In 1970 Kenneth Carpenter, a former U.S. Army soldier who later served as director of the South Dakota State University marching band, explained these differences by noting that "when Bandsmen join the Marine Corps they are fully qualified to carry out their duties the very day they enlist. In most cases these Marines have been training to do their job since they were children".[45] Ayers also contends, noting that centralized recruit training was not established until 1911, that "unless one is willing to make the claim that all Marines before 1911 were not 'real Marines' it is disingenuous to argue that boot camp or OCS are the only paths to becoming a Marine".[36]

According to the Marine Corps, most Marine Band musicians "hold advanced degrees from the world’s top music schools" including the Julliard School, the New England Conservatory, the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, the Eastman School of Music, and others.[46] Among musicians assigned to the Marine Chamber Orchestra, nearly two-thirds possess a master's degree or better.

Performances

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State and ceremonial performances

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Annually, on the anniversary of the birth of John Philip Sousa, the Marine Corps Color Guard "The Commandant's Four" and the U.S. Marine Band are assembled at Congressional Cemetery to perform memorial obeisances at Sousa's tomb.

Public performances

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National Concert Tour

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In 1891, Sousa requested to take the band on a tour of the United States. His request was initially denied by Marine Corps officers so he appealed the matter directly to President Benjamin Harrison who granted the request. After Sousa's departure, the band left Washington, D.C. infrequently until beginning annual tours in 1920 which continued through the start of the Great Depression before they were terminated. They resumed in 1935 but were again aborted during World War II. Resurrected in 1946, the National Concert Tour has been an annual engagement undertaken by the band since that time. The year 2018 marked the band's 100th non-consecutive National Concert Tour, during which it performed 29 free public concerts in 12 states.[47][48]

Summer Concert Series

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Young People's Concert

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In 2008

Uniforms

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The parade uniform of the Marine Band, termed "ceremonial dress", consists of scarlet blouses with choker collars and white trousers in the summer, or blue trousers in the winter. Assistant directors wear distinctive uniforms with golden braid crossing the chest, while the director of the Marine Band wears an identical uniform patterned in blue. The "special full dress" uniform is a variation of a U.S. Marine Corps formal uniform deprecated for general use in the early 20th century and now reserved for personnel in the Marine Corps Chamber Orchestra. Though similar to the "ceremonial dress" uniform, it is worn without white belt and lacks the elaborate braiding.

The drum major's uniform includes a ceremonial baldric and is worn with a black, bearskin helmet. The bearskin helmet was first introduced in 1855 during the directorate of Francis Scala.[49] The mace of the drum major of the U.S. Marine Band is a 35 inch staff constructed of Malacca cane and weighing 3.5 pounds. It is capped with a gold-plated ball on which is engraved the major campaigns of the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as the armorial achievement of the United States and the Eagle, Globe and Anchor emblem of the USMC. The ball is crested with an engraving of the dome of the United States Capitol.[50]

Notable personnel

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Music

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ At Bladensburg, bandsmen were detached and employed as marine infantry; the band was not deployed as a unit.
  2. ^ The 1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery, established in 1776, is the oldest extant United States Army unit, though some National Guard units trace their lineage to the colonial period.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Members". marines.mil. United States Marine Band. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  2. ^ "Marine Band and the Presidents". marines.mil. U.S. Marine Band. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  3. ^ Ruane, Michael (February 6, 2005). "From the halls, a Marine's musical march". boston.com. Washington Post. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  4. ^ "1st Battalion, 5th Field Artillery Regiment (Alexander Hamilton Battery)". Lineage And Honors Information. Center of Military History. 4 May 2009. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  5. ^ Smith, Kile (July 10, 2016). "A Salute to United States Military Bands". WRTI. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  6. ^ a b ""The President's Own"". whitehousehistory.org. White House Historical Association. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  7. ^ a b Williams, Michael Edward (2008). Presidential Praise: Our Presidents and Their Hymns. Mercer University Press. pp. 18–19, 65. ISBN 978-0881461176.
  8. ^ Pratt, Waldo Selden (1920). American Music and Musicians. T. Presser Company. p. 283.
  9. ^ Gilliland, Norman (March 19, 2019). "The Italian Marine Band". WPR-FM. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  10. ^ a b c Home of the Commandants. Cadmus Publishing. 1995. p. 53. ISBN 094032816X.
  11. ^ "Louis Schneider". marines.mil. U.S. Marine Band. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  12. ^ "Joseph Lucchesi". marines.mil. U.S. Marine Band. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  13. ^ "Venerando Pulizzi". marines.mil. U.S. Marine Band. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  14. ^ a b c "Marine Band Plays Favorite Numbers of U.S. Presidents". Green Bay Press-Gazette. October 26, 1953. Retrieved September 8, 2019 – via newspapers.com.(subscription required)
  15. ^ Bierley, Paul (1973). John Philip Sousa: American Phenomenon. Alfred. pp. 53–55. ISBN 1457449951.
  16. ^ a b c Bierley, Paul E. (2006). The Incredible Band of John Philip Sousa. University of Illinois Press. pp. 2–3. ISBN 0252031474.
  17. ^ Eschner, Kat (November 6, 2017). "John Philip Sousa Feared 'The Menace of Mechanical Music'". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  18. ^ "Marine Band's History Starts with First Pres". Dixon Evening Telegraph. August 19, 1931. Retrieved September 8, 2019 – via newspapers.com.(subscription required)
  19. ^ "The 15th Academy Awards". oscars.org. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  20. ^ Capua, Michelangelo (2017). Jean Negulesco: The Life and Films. McFarland. p. 26. ISBN 978-1476666532.
  21. ^ Henry, Diane (June 23, 1973). "Woman Who Joined the Marines". New York Times. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  22. ^ "JEF announces honorees for annual 'Evening With Our Stars'". Jacksonville Daily Progress. March 4, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  23. ^ a b "U.S. Marine Band Turns 200 Years Old This Week". Sioux City Journal. Associated Press. February 19, 1998. Retrieved August 30, 2019 – via newspapers.com.(subscription required)
  24. ^ Hernandez, Cathy (November 12, 2018). "First female assistant drum major for Marine band honored at Alvin High School". KPRC-TV. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  25. ^ "The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, New York Chapter Announces Results of the 62nd Annual New York Emmy Awards" (PDF). nyemmys.org. New York Emmy Awards. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  26. ^ "US Marine Band With The All-Star Orchestra Wins Emmy". musicalamerica.com. 8VA Music Consultancy (Press Release). Retrieved August 24, 2019.
  27. ^ Lengell, Edward. "Distinguished Cellists in the White House". whitehousehistory.org. White House History Association. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  28. ^ Hatem, Lucy (October 1, 2016). "The U.S. Marine Band, America's Oldest Music Group". New York Public Radio. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  29. ^ Nelson, Brooke (n.d.). "The Hidden Talents of 24 U.S. Presidents". Reader's Digest. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  30. ^ Simmons, Amanda (July 2014). "Change of Command" (PDF). Notes. p. 10. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  31. ^ a b "Marine Band Visits Japan for First Time". Leatherneck Magazine. May 23, 2019. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  32. ^ "The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets". pbs.org. Public Broadcasting System. Retrieved November 4, 2015.
  33. ^ "The director of the Marine Band serves as the musical advisor to the President in organizing the music for ceremonial occasions."Patrick, John J.; Pious, Richard M.; Ritchie, Donald A. (2001). The Oxford Guide to the United States Government. ISBN 978-0-19-514273-0.
  34. ^ Pious, Richard M. (2001). The Presidency of the United States: A Student Companion. Oxford University Press. p. 167. ISBN 0-19-515006-6.
  35. ^ Marine Corps Occupational System Manual (PDF). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Marine Corps. 2005. p. 1142. Duties: (1) Serve as Commanding Officer of the U.S. Marine Band (2) Serves as Musical Advisor to the President of the United States, the White House, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps
  36. ^ a b c d Ayres III, Raymond (2008). Marine Character of the United States Marine Band (PDF) (Master's thesis). Marine Corps University. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  37. ^ a b c Pincus, Walter (August 4, 2014). "Military services seeking innovative ways to attract highly skilled recruits". Washington Post. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  38. ^ "The United States Marine Band: Musicians". whitehousehistory.org. White House History Association. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  39. ^ "The Bulletin of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences". 24. 1: 155. September 18, 1920.
  40. ^ Imhoff, Ernest (April 16, 1991). "Marine Band plays more than marches". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  41. ^ "Marine Corps Demographics Update" (PDF). marines.mil. U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  42. ^ Rust, Brian. "Marine Band historian retires after 39-year career". marines.mil. U.S. Marine Band. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  43. ^ Schogol, Jeff (May 7, 2017). "Every Marine a rifleman no more?". Marine Corps Times. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  44. ^ "Marine Band Draws from America's Best". Allentown Morning Call. May 8, 1997. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
  45. ^ Kessler, Kevin (2015). "We are the pride!" : a history of the South Dakota State University marching band from 1886 to 2015 (PhD). University of Iowa. pp. 96–97.
  46. ^ "Musicians". marines.mil. United States Marine Band. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  47. ^ Paige, Anna (October 3, 2018). "U.S. Marine Band, America's oldest continuously active band, comes to Billings". Billings Gazette. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  48. ^ "History of the National Concert Tour". marines.mil. United States Marine Band. Retrieved August 29, 2019.
  49. ^ Kopstein, Jack (18 June 2013). "Drum Major's Headwear in the U.S. Military Bands". militarymusic.com. Military Music. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  50. ^ "The Drum Major's Mace" (PDF). Notes. January 2017. Retrieved August 30, 2019.