As the Pledge of Allegiance became more widely accepted after its introduction in 1892, various groups weighed in on the wording. There have been alterations from the original wording penned by Francis Bellamy (1855-1931):
“I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
One change was spearheaded by the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution. In 1923 the groups pushed for “my flag” to be replaced by “the Flag of the United States of America.” The organizations felt that with so many immigrants coming to the country that it was important for newcomers to affirm their loyalty to the U.S.
In 1954 Congress added the words “under God,” to the pledge. This campaign was led by the Knights of Columbus, the world’s largest Catholic fraternal organization.
The addition of “under God” has led to numerous court challenges from people who cite the Constitution’s First Amendment specifying that Congress shall not make any laws pertaining to establishment of religion. Many believe that a pledge of patriotism should not be tied to a belief in God. Thus far the legal challenges have been unsuccessful.
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Changes in the Way We Recognize the Flag (the Salute)
Today when we say the Pledge of Allegiance, we have learned to place our right hand over our heart as we recite the words. The original salute was very different. It was called a military salute, and it consisted of the right arm extended upward, with the palm down slightly. This was the form schoolchildren and members of the public were taught to use when they said the Pledge from 1892 on.
Today, of course, that is the arm gesture that we associate with “Heil Hitler.” It began being used officially in Nazi Germany in 1933 when the Nazis passed a law that stated that all employees of the state were to be saluted in that way and violators would be punished.
This stirred a big reaction among Americans though it took almost
ten years to pass a new law. In December of 1942 Congress passed an amendment that specified that the pledge “should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart.”
Is the Pledge of Allegiance Still Widely Used?
Today most states provide time for schools to say the pledge, though it is still at the discretion of the local school board and/or the individual teacher. Five states do not have this provision (Hawaii, Iowa, Oklahoma, Vermont, and Wyoming).
To read about how the Pledge of Allegiance came into existence, read “Writing the Pledge of Allegiance.“
Pretty! This was an incredibly wonderful article.
Many thanks for supplying this info.
the original text on the pledge of allegiance from 1892
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Hi I’m 63 and I was brought up with the Pledge of Allegiance and I don’t see what was wrong with the original why did they take out the part of one nation under God indivisible and justice for all what we don’t believe in God anymore I do
I understand how you feel. I can’t explain anything more than what is in the article…I’m sorry not to have better words for you.
I’m 67. I
I personally prefer the 1855 version. It clearly pledges loyalty to the country regardless of one’s religion and expresses equality for all.
Thank you for commenting.
I really don’t take issue with the first change. Pledging allegiance to a flag (an object) does not seem as deep a commitment as allegiance to the country the flag represents.
I DO take issue with the second change (1954) which inserts God and Religion into a place which was specifically designed to avoid them. There was a specific reason for the issue of Separation of Church and State AND THIS IS IT!
Yes, Thanks for posting. The original had no mention of God, and the current wording further muddies the intention of a separation between church and state.
This was a really enlightening article. I never knew the Pledge had changed so much throughout American history. I wish it were the same as when it was first introduced, maybe I’d still say it.
Thank you for posting….yes change does not always mean “improvement.”
concerning the pledge of allegiance I myself was an 82nd Airborne soldier in the seventies early seventies and I cannot believe that they would take out in God we trust that is the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard and now I understand that even the children in schools don’t even have the option to stand and say the pledge of allegiance with this country coming to you guys what did we fight for b******* thank you
Thank you for posting. I know how frustrating it is when things change, but let me assure you, your service WAS for something—while we are often regretful of how dysfunctional our government can be, we DO enjoy freedoms because of people like you. For those of us at home, we need to urge everyone to vote for EVERY election—from community board to president. These positions are all important, and every one of us needs to safeguard our freedoms.
But I hear what’s bothering you, and I’m glad you posted. Thank you for your military service and all else you have done to make your community a better place.