The Pledge of Allegiance

The Pledge of Allegiance was originally written by Francis Bellamy (1855-1931), a minister. It was originally published in The Youth's Companion on September 8, 1892.

The Pledge of Allegiance has been modified since it was originally penned. Below are the various versions:

1892-1923: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

1923-1954: "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

1954-Present: "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 changes in 1923 were made when the first National Flag Conference in Washington D.C. voted to change the words.

The 1954 change to add the words "under God" was made by by a Congressional Act, which was approved June 14, 1954. President Eisenhower stated the purpose of the change as follows: "In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America's heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country's most powerful resource in peace and war."