In August 1892, Francis Bellamy (1855 - 1931), a Baptist minister, wrote the original Pledge of Allegiance. The Pledge was published in the September 8th issue of The Youth's Companion, a leading family magazine of its day. Francis Bellamy was also a chairman of a committee of state superintendents of education in the National Education Association. As its chairman, he prepared the program for the public schools' quadricentennial celebration for Columbus Day in 1892. He structured this public school program around a flag raising ceremony and a flag salute - his 'Pledge of Allegiance.'

His original Pledge read as follows: 'I pledge allegiance to my Flag and (to*) the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.' He considered placing the word, 'equality,' in his Pledge, but knew that the state superintendents of education on his committee were against equality for women and African Americans. [ * 'to' added in October, 1892. ]

In 1923 and 1924 the National Flag Conference, under the 'leadership of the American Legion and the Daughters of the American Revolution, changed the Pledge's words, 'my Flag,' to 'the Flag of the United States of America.' Bellamy disliked this change, but his protest was ignored.

In 1954, Congress added the words 'under God,' to the Pledge after a campaign by the Knights of Columbus was successful in putting this phrase in the pledge. Note that the whole phrase of "One Nation under God" was the intended change. Somehow, a comma has been inserted after "nation" when most people say the pledge. The correct way to repeat this phrase is "One Nation under God" without a pause. In any case, the Pledge is now both a patriotic oath and a public prayer.

Think about the last time you said the "Pledge of Allegiance. Every American has felt it: that feeling of pride and joy so vast it can hardly be contained, that heart-pounding emotion that wells up inside at the sight of the American flag. It is a sense of belonging to something greater than oneself, of belonging to a great nation. It brings with it the story of our great nation, the red stripes standing for the blood our fore-fathers shed who gave their lives to defend our country and it's freedom proclaiming the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters throughout our country's history. The white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all, and the 50 stars on a field of blue that represents the 50 States, united as one, to create a new constellation. A new nation dedicated to the personal and religious liberty of all mankind. We stand together with pride when we say our "Pledge of Allegiance, when we listen to the National Anthem with our emotions welling up, with our hands over our hearts. We embody this feeling in one word:

Patriotism.

Patriotism is born of our passion and love for our country. It makes us fear for her, defend her, sacrifice for her. It soars and bursts forth from us in a dazzling show of fireworks, blazing trumpets, and marching rhythms.

When some outside force looms threatening upon us,
we all become patriots. We unite and endure.

A Patriot will not accept defeat.

Patriotism is looking at the flag of the United States of America, and seeing beyond the cloth, the colors and seeing what our Flag embodies.

The Flag of the United States of America represents freedom, truth, honor, justice. All of the things this country stands for and is based upon is depicted in one symbol - our Flag.

Patriotism is knowing the difference between freedom of expression, art, and desecration of our Flag.

Patriotism is looking at our Flag and seeing the faces of all those who gave their lives to defend our way of life.