To the Flag: The Unlikely History of the Pledge of Allegiance

As hard as it is to remember my education as a child, I do remember reciting the Pledge of Allegiance each morning in elementary school. Standing tall next to my fellow classmates, we spoke the words that ostensibly represented our country of America. Year after year this salute became ingrained in my head - not as a poem that reminded me of my patronage, but as a boring and irrelevant chore that I never thought to question. Today the Pledge of Allegiance is no longer mandated in schools, but it continues to be a controversial debate in politics. This topic is the subject of Richard Ellis' To the Flag: The Unlikely History of the Pledge of Allegiance. At first glance, you might assume that this novel is solely a political scientist's objective articulation of history, and after reading the first five or six chapters, of facts regarding the Pledge. However, as Ellis begins to dive into the controversy surrounding the Pledge, he uncovers the significance of its success as a symbol of American identity, the changes it went through and why, and what it represents for citizens today. His historical style effectively traces the original Pledge, written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, to the 2004 Supreme Court decision that made the thirty-one word oath unconstitutional. For over a century, especially in the aftermath of mass immigration, World War II, the Cold War, and 9/11, the Pledge of Allegiance has played an important role in defining the American identity. The natural tendency of citizens is to unify against the current conflict, forcing them to justify their Americanness and allegiance to their country. Those who seem less patriotic are perceived as traitors. At these crucial times in history, nothing seemed to express more gratitude and respect than the salute to the flag while reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Before the turn of the 20th century, there was a deep feeling of anxiety as America experienced an influx of foreigners immigrating into the schools, the work force, and the social communities. This sparked a movement to "Americanize" the immigrant children, and "create a `new man' from the mixture of different nationalities (pg 38)." The first step in Americanizing immigrants begins with the understanding of the American identity. The United States has no distinct religion, race, culture, or heritage, and this diversity is what truly represents America. Ellis posits, "For most peoples, national identity is the product of a long process of historical evolution involving common ancestors, common experiences, and common ethnic backgrounds (pg 213)." Therefore, the American identity is a myth that our nation has persistently attempted to construct. There was a strong effort made to subdue the anxiety of immigration by federally funding the placement of the American flag in schools, and requiring the Pledge of Allegiance to be recited everyday. Soon the Pledge became the prime symbol of American patriotism, and with its succes

With new challenges to the Pledge of Allegiance taking place in modern times, it's important to understand the origins of the Pledge, and To The Flag: The Unlikely History Of The Pledge Of Allegiance provides this background, examining its original writing in 1892 and various challenges to its authority and style up to present times. From the schoolhouse flag movement and first use of the Pledge to its modern meaning to new immigrants, To The Flag should be on the shelves of any high school or public library strong in American history.

I hadn't expected this book to be so engaging. It's provocative, but the provocation isn't planted by the author but is inherent in the material he reveals. After years in public school reciting the Pledge, I knew little about its history. Until now, although I've read of legal challenges involving the Pledge, I had little idea of the long history of court of its challenges. How Ellis was able to present so much history, including legal issues, in a way suitable to a lay reader such as myself, I don't know. That's his gift. One surprise was that the flag salute so resembled the Nazi "Heil Hitler" salute that it was modified in the 1940's. Having read of recent issues with nontheists objecting to the Pledge, it was a surprise to learn that strong objections to the Pledge and had come from religious people who considered the pledge and salute to be idolatry. This led to not only violence but also, for the children, explusion from school. It was these religion objections, not those of nontheists, that led to the court decision that the pledge and salute be voluntary in 1943. Nontheists wouldn't have been likely to object at this time because it wasn't until 1954 that the words "under God" were added to the Pledge. Legal objection to that addition came not only from atheists but also from Buddhist organizations and the Unitarian Ministers Association. Some key players in the Pledge story that Ellis cites are the ACLU, George Bush Sr, George W Bush, and Jesse Ventura. Jesse has one of the most astute comments about the Pledge I've ever heard. George Bush Sr seemed to have forgotten the "for all" portion of the Pledge when he said (quoted elsewhere): "I don't know that atheists should be considered citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God." Compare Jesse Ventura's inclusive observation that "The United State of America exist because people wanted to be free to choose." Ellis presents many positions, expressing his concern that we distinguish between true patriotism and manipulation of our Pledge. This book is likely to get you thinking about what our country stands for and how patriotism is best learned and expressed. Wisely, Ellis doesn't spout conclusions but rather raises question that may linger with you a long while after you finish your first reading of "To The Flag". Books like this keep America strong.

I pledge allegiance to the flag, and the divided states of America, and to the tyranny, for which it stands, one nation, under Christ, for liberty and justice for some... As school children, we were all well versed on the pledge of allegiance, the words came naturally after the first year of instruction. We approached each morning by reaffirming our loyalty to the state, and most often, little was done in protest. The true essence of this oath however, was lost on a mere technicality. It was aimed at children who were uninterested in the real nature of the pledge, and were thus reciting it without a conscious acknowledgment of its meaning or history. Children have become so accustomed to the militaristic structure of the classroom, that the pledge has been disguised amongst the rigid class room bell, the manicured rows of seats, and the affinity for discussion initiated by a hand raising salute. Yet, Richard Ellis' book, To The Flag, raises concern about ignoring this paradoxical ritual, and having our apathetic opinions of the seemingly simple oath, go unquestioned. Ellis exposes the rich history of the pledge and thus challenges its influence on U.S. history. Today, the pledge of allegiance continues to be a part of political discussion and controversy, yet selective memory has rarely exposed its important history. Just last week, a federal district judge in California declared the `under god' clause in the pledge to be unconstitutional. The decision was based on the fact that it violates a child's ability to seek separation from the church within the state. To The Flag chronicles the evolution of the pledge and the critical turning points which, among others, included this addition of the `under God' cause. Ellis highlights the manner by which fearful patriots amended the pledge in order to make evident the difference between the elitist American state and the evil Communist state, while also Americanizing a new generation of immigrants. To The Flag presents the inception of the pledge by Francis Bellamy in 1892 as relatively uncontroversial and genuine, despite Bellamy's underlying racisms. At this early stage, the pledge represented the American affinity to capitalism and became one of the most effective marketing campaigns of all time. Initiated by the need for community unification, and "part of an effort to rekindle the patriotic flame of the Civil War", Francis Bellamy and his compatriots at Youth's Companion (a popular magazine of the time) wanted to solidify a united American front. They decided that one of the best ways to inspire nationalism was to promote the presence of the American flag in public space, and they used the "Four Hundredth Anniversary of the Discovery of America by Columbus" to spearhead this project. By 1889 a nationwide campaign began to enforce not only the presence of the flag in public schools, but the recitation of Bellamy's pledge of allegiance. Schools had been targeted because they "were the

At the high school where I teach, we say the Pledge of Allegiance every day at the beginning of 2nd period [except on standardized testing days - quiet please!] and I willingly stand and say the Pledge [more on what version later] along with the intercom. This year has been more frustrating than normal, since many of my 2nd period students don't know how to behave during the Pledge - whether standing [Pledging or just being polite] or sitting [protesting or just being apathetic] - and many seem to feel that it's okay to yammer on about whatever during our morning patriotic ritual. We also have 20 minutes of sustained silent reading at the beginning of 2nd period [just before the Pledge] and Richard J. Ellis' excellent book To The Flag was one of my favorite reading period reads this year. To The Flag is a warts and all history of the Pledge of Allegiance, starting with Francis Bellamy - Christian and socialist - the author of the direct ancestor of the current Pledge, up to today's arguments over the words `under God.' Ellis follows all the twists and turns of the Pledge, from the various changes in text, to the myriad motivations promoters have had for pushing the pledge. The potential reader should not be scared off by the imprint of a University press on the book's cover - Ellis is an excellent writer and keeps the book flowing through all of the details. Potential readers of To The Flag would be anybody interested in history [especially that of the late 19th and 20th centuries], the Pledge, the flag, politics, and religion. To The Flag should be REQUIRED READING for anybody on any side of the current controversies over the Pledge of Allegiance. I say the Pledge as codified in 1942. I willingly pledge to a flag which I believe stands for the aspirations and ideals of the United States, but not all of its actions. I tried to explain to the sitters [who I support in principle - a forced pledge to freedom isn't a good thing] that talking wasn't cool during the pledge, but getting through to them was tough, even with my expanded knowledge of the issues. Lastly, I thank the universe that I live in the United States where we can still have arguments like the one over the Pledge!