Pledge of allegiance: history and application
.
October 22, 2009 • Esther Smith, Reporter
Filed under 2009-2010
First written in 1892, the Pledge of Allegiance was drafted by a Baptist minister and Christian socialist, Francis Bellamy. The original Pledge was published in the popular children’s magazine, The Youth’s Companion, as an addition to the national public-school celebration of Columbus Day; the celebration marked the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ “discovery” of America. This event was conceived by the marketer for the magazine, James Upham, in a recognized attempt to sell American nationalism and flags to public schools.
In the Pledge’s creation, Bellamy purposely designed it to be only fifteen seconds long and simple to memorize. The original oath reads, “I Pledge Allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” Bellamy’s Pledge has since been reformed four different times, adding phrases to specify fellowship under the United States, as well as “under God” to represent a support of Christianity. Ultimately, the wording has evolved into, “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.”
President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed support for the Pledge and it was first used in public schools on October 12, 1892 during Columbus Day observances. Nearly fifty years later, the Supreme Court ruled, in the Minersville School District v Gobitis case of 1940, that students in public schools could be compelled to swear the Pledge–despite its violation of religious or speech rights. Three years later, the Supreme Court reversed its decision, arguing that “compulsory unification of opinion” contradicted the First Amendment. Later, in 1954, the term “under God”–the most controversial of the alterations made to the oath–was officially incorporated into the Pledge. The Chaplain of the Illinois Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, Louis Bowman, originated the change in parallel effort to mirror parts of President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
These two words gained popularity in the early 1950‘s, especially with the Catholic fraternal organization, the Knights of Columbus. In 1952, a philosopher and educator, Holger Langmack, wrote to President Truman suggesting the inclusion of “under God” in the oath, prompting a meeting between the President and Langmack. Finally, bills were introduced to Congress; though support was varied until a Presbyterian minister preached a sermon about Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address on Lincoln Sunday. The audience included current president Dwight Eisenhower and the sermon focused on how “under God” captured and embodied America’s uniqueness and strength. Pleasantly engaged, Eisenhower turned the wheels in Congress the next day, incorporating the suggestion into law, which became institutionalized in 1954.
Other unique characteristics of the Pledge exist in its standard salute. The early version, known as the Bellamy salute, ended with the arm outstretched and the palm upwards–eventually evolving to palm downwards. The outstretched-arm-gesture was eventually replaced by a hand-over-the-heart gesture because of the former’s similarity to the Nazi salute of World War II.
Criticism of the Pledge has varied over the decades. Many opponents argue that the Pledge of Allegiance infringes on Constitutional rights for freedom of religion. Others propose that the most likely speakers of the Pledge are those who cannot give their consent or express an enduring understanding: the children. Contrasting to the freedom of religion argument, critics disagree with the use of the words “under God” as a standard within a multi-faceted religious or atheist nation.
Despite the contrasting viewpoints, the Pledge of Allegiance is an example of an American tradition that is only enriched by the intriguing history of its origin.
