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The Pledge of Allegiance to
the Flag of the United States, according to James A. Moss, an authority
on the flag and its history, was first given national publicity through
the official program of the National Public School Celebration of
Columbus Day in October 1892. The Pledge had been published in the
Youth's Companion for September 8,1892, and at the same time sent out in
leaflet form throughout the country. During the Celebration it was
repeated by more than 12,000,000 public school pupils in every state in
the Union.
Mr. Francis Bellamy of Rome,
New York, and Mr. James Upham of Malden, Massachusetts were both members
of the staff of the Youth's Companion when the Pledge was published. The
family of each man has contended that his was the authorship and both hold
evidence to substantiate their claims.
To determine, in the
interest of historical accuracy, the actual authorship, the United States
Flag Association (formerly in Washington, D.C., but now disbanded), in
1939, appointed a committee consisting of Charles C. Tansill, Professor of
American History; W. Reed West, Professor of Political Science; and
Bernard Mayo, Professor of American History, to carefully weigh the
evidence of the two contending families. Unanimously, the committee
decided in favor of Francis Bellamy, and on May 18, 1939, the decision was
accepted by the American Flag Committee. Mr. Bellamy had been chairman of
the executive committee which formulated the program for the National
Public School Celebration and furnished the publicity when he was on the
staff of the Youth's Companion.
In the material which he nationally circulated, he wrote, “Let the flag
float over every school-house in the land and the exercise be such as
shall impress upon our youth the patriotic duty of citizenship.” He also
included the original 23 words of the Pledge which he had developed. *
'to' added in October, 1892.
I pledge allegiance to my
Flag,
and (to*) the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.
Thus it was that on Columbus
Day in October 1892, the Pledge of Allegiance was repeated by more than
12 million public school children in every state in the union.
The wording of the Pledge has been modified three times.
On June 14, 1923, at the First National Flag Conference held in
Washington, D.C., under the 'leadership of the American Legion and the
Daughters of the American Revolution, changed the Pledge's words. The
latter words were added on the ground that some foreign-born children
and adults when giving the Pledge might have in mind the flag of their
native land. In 1923, the words “the flag of the United States” were
substituted for “my flag.”
I pledge allegiance to
the Flag of the United
States,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.
In 1924, “of America” was
added.
I pledge allegiance to the
Flag
of the United States of
America,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.
On Flag Day June 14, 1954,
the words “under God” were added
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."
This was the last change made to the Pledge of Allegiance. The 23 words
what had been initially penned for a Columbus Day celebration now
comprised a Thirty-one profession of loyalty and devotion to not only a
flag, but to a way of life....the American ideal. Those words now read:
“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.”
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). In 1945 the Pledge to the Flag
received its official title as: The Pledge of Allegiance
When the Pledge is being
given, all should stand with the right hand over the heart, fingers
together and horizontal with the arm at as near a right angle as possible.
After the words "justice to all," the arm should drop to the side. While
giving the Pledge of Allegiance all should face the flag.
According to Colonel Moss, no disrespect is displayed by giving the Pledge
with a gloved hand over the heart, but he calls our attention to the fact
that an Army Officer or an enlisted man always removes his right glove
upon taking his oath as a witness. The Daughters of the American
Revolution follow the custom of having the right hand ungloved.
The idea of the annual PAUSE
FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE originated in 1980 at the Star-Spangled
Banner Flag House in Baltimore, Maryland. The National Flag Day
Foundation. Inc. was created in 1982 “to conduct educational programs
throughout the United States in promotion of National Flag Day and to
encourage national patriotism by promotion of the PAUSE FOR THE PLEDGE OF
Allegiance.”
On June 20, 1985, the Ninety-Ninth Congress passed and President Reagan
signed Public Law 99-54 recognizing the PAUSE FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
as part of National Flag Day activities. It is an invitation urging all
Americans to participate on Flag Day, June 14, 7:00 p.m. (EDT) in reciting
the Pledge of Allegiance.
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