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On the Story

ASK CNN

Aired November 22, 2001 - 07:51   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LINDA BEERMANN, LINCOLN, NEBRASKA: I'm Linda Beermann from Lincoln, Nebraska. And my question is: When and by whom was the "Pledge of Allegiance" written?

BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Linda, a Christian socialist minister named Francis Bellamy wrote the Pledge back in 1892, and his version appeared in "The Youth's Companion" of "Family" magazine, kind of like "Reader's Digest," and it was meant for students to recite on Columbus Day.

CHILDREN: I pledge allegiance to the flag...

MORTON: Bellamy wrote "I pledge allegiance to my flag and for the republic for which it stands, one Nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

As a socialist who wanted to add equality, but he knew not everyone believed in equal rights for women and minorities.

In 1923 at a national flag conference, they dropped "my flag," and instead inserted "the flag of the United States." Congress officially recognized the pledge in 1942 during World War II. The Supreme Court ruled, in 1943, that children could not be forced to recite it in school.

KEN RHOADES, BLAIR, NEBRASKA: My name is Ken Rhoades from Blair, Nebraska, and I was wondering when "under God" was added to the "Pledge of Allegiance."

MORTON: Ken Rhoades, you asked when they added the phrase "under God." That was in 1954 during Dwight Eisenhower's presidency and at the height of the Cold War.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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