The Guild 6-27-2002 The History of Our Pledge of Allegiance

6-27-2002

[BigWaveBetty]

The Pledge of Allegiance

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.

The October 11, 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. That first Pledge of Allegiance read:

I pledge allegiance to my Flag,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.

October 11, 1892

After the Columbus Day celebration the Pledge to the Flag became a popular daily routine in America's public schools, but gained little attention elsewhere for almost 25 years. Finally, on Flag Day - June 14, 1923, the Pledge received major attention from adults who had gathered for the first National Flag Conference in Washington, D.C. Here their Conference agenda took note of the wording in the Pledge. There was concern that, with the number of immigrants now living in the United States, there might be some confusion when the words "My Flag" were recited. To correct this the pledge was altered to read:

I pledge allegiance to my the
Flag of the United States,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.

June 14, 1923

The following year the wording was changed again to read:

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.

June 14, 1924

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."

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.

June 14, 1954

The Pledge of Allegiance
by Red Skelton
January 14, 1969

Click the flag to hear Red Skelton's entire speech.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution

Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

ALL PREVIOUS THREADS

[BigWaveBetty]

I've been told by liberal democrats that separation of church and state are in the constitution in the First Amendment. I read it over and over and it's not there! You don't suppose those liberal democrats would lie to me, do you?

[BigWaveBetty]

Hello!

[Carolina]

What a beautiful post! I'm saving this to the hard drive.

[anniegetyourgun]

Repeatedly!

[Carolina]

Would you add Freedom'sWorthIt to your ping list? Thanks.

[retrokitten]

Yea!! New thread!! Great opening post!

[anniegetyourgun]

I understand the Knights of Columbus played a significant role in bringing the addition of "under God" to our pledge.

[BigWaveBetty]

Aw, y'all are so nice. *sniff* That's really nice to hear after I did it twice!

Also, check out Previous Threads. I fixed it up real good! *big one tooth grin*

[mountaineer]

Thanks for starting the thread. I am sick to death of hearing about the "wall of separation" or "separation of church and state." There is absolutely nothing in the Constitution, nor in any of the writings of the founding fathers, including the Declaration of Independence (especially the Declaration of Independence) that supports such a concept.

I recommend to everyone a book by David Barton (whom I knew in college), "Original Intent," which should put to rest the ideas that 1) the founding fathers were Deists, not Christians; 2) they were hostile to religious expression; or 3) they would approve of Wednesday's ruling, the prohibition against prayer in school, the prohibition against towns having Christmas displays or any of the liberal crap that has been foisted on us in the past few decades thanks to the perverted view judges have taken of the First Amendment.

[BigWaveBetty]

Would you add Freedom'sWorthIt to your ping list?

Done! :-)

[BigWaveBetty]

Thanks mountaineer, that looks like a book that would help my son understand a few things.

[BigWaveBetty]

You are correct Ma'am!

How the words "UNDER GOD" came to be added to the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States originated on Columbus Day, 1892. It contained no reference to Almighty God, until in New York City on April 22, 1951, the Board of Directors of the Knights of Columbus adopted a resolution to amend the Pledge of Allegiance as recited at the opening of each of the meetings of the 800 Fourth Degree Assemblies of the Knights of Columbus by the addition of the words "under God" after the words "one nation". The adoption of this resolve by the Supreme Board of Directors had the effect of an immediate initiation of this practice throughout the aforesaid Fourth Degree Assembly meetings. [snip] Link

[Utah Girl]

Why does she even bother to have that on? Just wear the thong, what's the difference???

[BigWaveBetty]

Very ...uh...er ...breezy!

I feel the need to get up off my rear, BREAK TIME!

[codebreaker]

I told you guys about that Ascot pic days ago! (it was in the U.K. Sun tabloid, the gal is a 31 year old Banker)

[Carolina]

the gal is a 31 year old Banker

Well, we can certainly see her assets.

[lodwick]

Hi there -

It would seem to be a bit on the air-ish side.

Does anyone remember "Stop the World, I Want to Get Off?

[lodwick]

Great - thanks.

CB - crying out loud, we don't need to be told,
we need to be showed. Come on. ;-)

[codebreaker]

I'm beginning to wonder if both big U.S. tabloids read the guild for story ideas..

The Star chimes in with my Winona Ryder gossip which is that she has never gotten over Matt Damon Split with Matt Damon leads to movie stars tragic downfall