Francis Bellamy, a socialist Baptist minister, wrote the Pledge of Allegiance in 1892. At the time, Bellamy was hired to work at the Youth’s Companion magazine for the purpose of writing a pledge to the flag. Since 1888 the magazine had been promoting the sale of the United States flag. The magazine became an avid supporter of the “Schoolhouse Flag Movement” in which all public schools were encouraged to purchase and display a flag.
By 1892, 26,000 flags had been sold by the magazine. Sales were lagging; the magazine hired Bellamy to write a pledge to refresh interest in the flag. The original pledge was published in the Sept. 8, 1892, issue of the Youth’s Companion. The wording of the pledge was as follows: “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
The pledge was recited accompanied by a military salute consisting of three phases. Stand straight with arms at sides, raise right arm straight toward the flag, turn palm face down.
During WWII, this salute was replaced by placing the right hand over the heart when Adolf Hitler created a Nazi salute mimicking the original American salute. President Eisenhower added the words, “under God” in 1952 during the Cold War. (USHistory.org).
I will pledge allegiance to my country, when it becomes one nation, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. When will that be?
Nancy Rushforth
Orem