The Pledge of Allegiance, Reconsidered
Every school day, in public school classrooms across the country, students hear a ding from the intercom and a voice greets them from the overhead speaker. It might be the principal, vice principal, or a student who won the honor for good grades.
After morning announcements, the voice instructs everyone to stand, place a hand over their heart, and leads the school in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Doing so is required by law in 46 of our 50 states.
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 was the result of a magazine’s marketing strategy, was authored by a racist Baptist preacher, and was modified in the 1950’s to become a required, public test of faith for kids across the country.
The Original Pledge
According to the Smithsonian, the first reciting of the pledge took place on October 21, 1892. That pledge looked a bit different.
I pledge allegiance to my flag and to the Republic for which it stands —
one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
