Here Is Where: Discovering America's Great Forgotten History

by Andrew Carroll

mention of God; Francis Bellamy, the socialist minister who authored it, initially wrote: “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.” And while Bellamy was by all accounts a patriotic man, creating a “Pledge of Allegiance” was the brainstorm of The Youth’s Companion’s promotional wizard, James Upham. Several weeks later, Bellamy added a “to” before “the Republic” because he thought it sounded better. In 1923 “my Flag” was altered to “the flag of the United States” and “of America” was tacked on a year later. In 1942 a major change was made to the gesture that accompanied the Pledge. Traditionally, after students recited the words, they stretched their right arm straight out and at a raised angle, giving what was known as “the Bellamy salute.” Small problem: This looked awfully Nazi-ish, so students were encouraged to place their hands over their heart instead. “Under God” was included by an act of Congress in 1954. President Dwight D. Eisenhower enthusiastically signed the bill and proclaimed that the new addition would “strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource, in peace or in war.” Ike’s words were a verbal volley aimed directly at the Soviet Union and “godless communists” everywhere. Francis Bellamy had considered including “equality” along with “liberty and justice for all” in the original Pledge, but decided that in an era—the late n...