On September 8,
1892 a Boston-based youth magazine "The Youth's
Companion" published a 22-word recitation for school
children to use during planned activities the
following month to commemorate the 400th anniversary
of Columbus' discovery of America. Under the title
"The Pledge to the Flag", the composition was the
earliest version of what we now know as the PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE.
I
pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it
stands:
one Nation under God, indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.
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The October 12, 1892 Columbus Day celebration of the
400th Anniversary of the discovery of America was
planned for years in advance, and anticipated much
as modern Americans look forward to and plan for the
advent of a new century. The United States had
recovered from most of the effects of its Civil War
that began 30 years earlier, and people from around
the world were flocking to the "Land of
Opportunity". The previous year almost a half
million immigrants had entered the United States
through the Barge Office in Battery Park, New York
and on New Years day of 1892 the new Federal Bureau
of Receiving's station at Ellis Island had opened.
Two men interested in both education and planned
Columbus Day celebrations around our Nation's 44
states were Francis Bellamy and James Upham. To this
day it is still unknown which of the two men
actually authored the words that were to become the
Pledge of Allegiance. It was published anonymously
and not copyrighted. James Upham was an employee of
the Boston publishing firm that produced "The
Youth's Companion" in which it first appeared.
Francis Bellamy was an educator who served as
chairman of the National committee of educators and
civic leaders who were planning the Columbus Day
activities. What we do know for certain is that the
words first appeared in the September 8, 1892 issue
of "The Youth's Companion", and a month later more
than 12 million school children recited the words
for the first time in schools across the nation. Our
Pledge of Allegiance was born, but like anything
new, it took many years to "reach maturity", and
underwent several changes along the way.
The Pledge of Allegiance continued to be recited
daily by children in schools across America, and
gained heightened popularity among adults during the
patriotic fervor created by World War II. It still
was an "unofficial" pledge until June 22, 1942 when
the United States Congress included the Pledge to
the Flag in the United States Flag Code (Title 36).
This was the first Official sanction given to the
words that had been recited each day by children for
almost fifty years. One year after receiving this
official sanction, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that
school children could not be forced to recite the
Pledge as part of their daily routine. In 1945 the
Pledge to the Flag received its official title as:
The Pledge of Allegiance
The last
change in the Pledge of Allegiance occurred
on June 14 (Flag Day), 1954 when President
Dwight D. Eisenhower approved adding the
words "under God". As he authorized this
change he said:
"In this way we
are reaffirming the
transcendence of religious
faith in America's heritage
and future; in this way we
shall constantly strengthen
those spiritual weapons
which forever will be our
country's most powerful
resource in peace and war."
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In 1892,
1923, 1924 and 1954 the American people
demonstrated enough concern about the actual
words in the Pledge to make some necessary
changes. Today there may be a tendency among
many Americans to recite "by rote" with
little thought for the words themselves.
Before continuing with our tour, let's
examine these 31 words a little more
thoroughly.
I
Pledge Allegiance |
I Promise to be faithful and true
(Promise my loyalty) |
to
the flag |
to the emblem that stands for and
represents |
of
the United States |
all 50 states, each of them
individual, and individually
represented on the flag |
of
America |
yet formed into a UNION of one
Nation. |
and
to the Republic |
And I also pledge my loyalty to the
Government that is itself a
Republic, a form of government where
the PEOPLE are sovereign, |
for
which it stands, |
this government also being
represented by the Flag to which I
promise loyalty. |
one
Nation under God, |
These 50 individual states are
united as a single Republic under
the Divine providence of God, "our
most powerful resource" (according
to the words of President
Eisenhower) |
Indivisible, |
and can not be separated. (This part
of the original version of the
pledge was written just 30 years
after the beginning of the Civil War
and demonstrates the unity sought in
the years after that divisive period
in our history) |
with
Liberty |
The people of this Nation being
afforded the freedom to pursue
"life, liberty, and happiness", |
and
Justice |
And each person entitled to be
treated justly, fairly, and
according to proper law and
principle, |
for
All. |
And these principles afforded to
EVERY AMERICAN, regardless of race,
religion, color, creed, or any other
criteria. Just as the flag
represents 50 individual states that
can not be divided or separated,
this Nation represents millions of
people who can not be separated or
divided. |
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Thus it is that when you Pledge Allegiance
to the United States Flag, You:
*Promise your loyalty to the Flag
itself.
*Promise your loyalty to your own
and the other 49 States.
*Promise your loyalty to the
Government that unites us all,
Recognizing that we are ONE Nation under God,
That we can not or should not be divided or alone,
And understanding the right to Liberty and Justice belongs
to ALL of us.
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