When is Pledge of Allegiance Day?
December 28th is National Pledge of Allegiance Day.
What is Pledge of Allegiance Day?
A good word is hard to find, but the Pledge of Allegiance says it well. Pledge of Allegiance Day honors the words that millions of Americans have used to express their patriotism for the United States of America.
The United States had no official pledge for its first century of existence. The current Pledge is based on words Francis Bellamy penned in 1892. Captain George T. Balch, a civil war vet, created the Balch pledge in 1887, five years before Bellamy made his. Americans used both pledges until the 1923 National Flag Conference chose the Bellamy pledge. It wasn’t until 1942 that Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance.
At the suggestion of President Eisenhower, Congress added the words “under God” in 1954 on Flag Day. This legislation may have been a challenge to the atheistic Communism that was growing in the U.S. during the Cold War. This brought the Pledge to its current form:
“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.”
Fun facts about Pledge of Allegiance Day!
Since Francis Bellamy created the Pledge in 1892, there have been 5 official versions.
The first recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance occurred on Columbus Day in 1892 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage to North America.
Bellamy also created the “Bellamy salute,” but it looked too much like a Nazi salute. In 1942, Congress acknowledged the hand-over-the-heart sign as the official Pledge salute.
How to celebrate Pledge of Allegiance Day:
Recite the Pledge of Allegiance with your friends and family.
Talk with your friends and family about the American freedoms you enjoy the most. Teach your kids to appreciate this liberty.
What’s the hashtag for Pledge of Allegiance Day?
Share your loyalty to the U.S.A. by using #PledgeOfAllegianceDay on social media.