U.S. Pledge of Allegiance

Introduction
Pro quotes
Con quotes
Student rights and the Pledge of Allegiance
Historical Timeline
- 1887-1918
  - 1887 - Early campaign for patriotism in public schools
  - Oct. 1888 - The Youth’s Companion campaigns for U.S. flags in public schools
  - Apr. 1891 - Francis Bellamy hired to organize national public school celebration
  - 1892 - Youth’s Companion organizes Columbus Day events
  - Sep. 1892 - Bellamy’s Pledge of Allegiance is published
  - Oct. 1892 - Pledge publicized on Columbus Day
  - 1895 - Balch’s flag salute for schools published
  - 1896-1898 - Custom of rising for the flag begins
  - Apr. 22, 1898 - First law requiring pledge recitation in schools passed in New York
  - 1917 - World War I increases demand for U.S. Flag
  - 1918 - Prosecutions for flag desecration
- 1919-1954
  - June 14-15, 1923 - National Flag Code adopted at National Flag Conference, includes pledge
  - 1924 - Flag Code gains acceptance
  - 1925 - Ku Klux Klan endorses Flag Code
  - June 3, 1940 - Supreme Court rules that students can be expelled for refusing to recite pledge
  - June 22, 1942 - Flag Code becomes law
  - Dec. 22, 1942 - Congress changes flag salute to hand over heart instead of straight arm salute
  - June 14, 1943 - Supreme Court rules that children cannot be forced to recite pledge
  - Feb. 12, 1948 - Sons of the American Revolution chaplain includes ’under God’ in pledge recitation
  - Apr. 22, 1951 - Knights of Columbus add ’Under God’ to pledge recited at meetings
  - 1952-1954 - Hearst campaigns to add “under God” to pledge
  - 1953 - House and Senate introduce bills to add “under God” to pledge
  - May 11, 1954 - Library of Congress makes recommendation concerning the pledge
  - June 14, 1954 - President Eisenhower signs law adding “under God” to pledge
- 1955-1999
  - June 17, 1963 - Supreme Court states that reciting pledge may not be a religious exercise
  - July 5, 1983 - Supreme Court says “under God” does not violate Establishment Clause
  - Mar. 5, 1984 - “Under God” referenced in Supreme Court nativity scene ruling
  - June 4, 1985 - Supreme Court says “under God” not unconstitutional
  - Sep. 13, 1988 - U.S House begins pledge recitations
  - July 3, 1989 - Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy references pledge
  - Jan. 24, 1992 - Seventh Circuit Court rules that students may opt out of reciting pledge
  - June 24, 1992 - Supreme Court declares school prayers unconstitutional
  - June 24, 1999 - Daily pledge recitation instituted in U.S Senate
- 2000-2009
  - Mar. 14, 2001 - Michael Newdow files suit arguing that “under God” in pledge is unconstitutional
  - June 27, 2002 - Ninth Circuit Court declares pledge to be “impermissible government endorsement of religion”
  - Aug. 9, 2002 - Justice Department appeals to Ninth Circuit for en banc rehearing
  - Oct. 30, 2002 - President Bush signs bill supporting “under God” in the pledge
  - Feb. 28, 2003 - Ninth Circuit rejects Bush’s appeal to reconsider constitutionality of “under God”
  - July 18, 2005 - Court narrows Newdow pledge case
  - Mar. 4, 2003 - Judge issues stay in “under God” case
  - Mar. 4, 2003 - U.S. Senate declares support for pledge
  - May 20, 2003 - House Passes resolution challenging Ninth Circuit decision
  - Oct. 14, 2003 - U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear Newdow case
  - June 14, 2004 - Supreme Court overturns Ninth Circuit decision
  - Sep. 23, 2004 - U.S. House passes bill to protect pledge
  - Jan. 6, 2005 - Newdow files second lawsuit
  - Aug. 10, 2005 - Appeals court upholds Virginia pledge
  - Sep. 14, 2005 - Federal judge rules in favor of Newdow
  - Sep. 29, 2005 - House passes resolution calling for Supreme Court to uphold pledge
  - July 19, 2006 - Pledge Protection Act passes in House
  - Jan. 29, 2007 - 2007 Pledge Protection Act introduced to House
  - Oct. 31, 2007 - Michael Newdow files new challenge to the Pledge of Allegiance
  - Dec. 4, 2007 - Ninth Circuit hears second Newdow case
- 2010-2019
  - Mar. 11, 2010 - Ninth Circuit upholds “under God” in second Newdow case
  - Sep. 4, 2013 - “Under God” challenged in Massachusetts Supreme Court
  - May 9, 2014 - Massachusetts Supreme Court upholds “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance
  - Feb. 4, 2015 - New Jersey Superior Court upholds “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance
  - Oct. 2, 2017 - India Landry expelled from Texas school for refusing to stand and recite pledge
  - Jan. 29, 2019 - College reinstates pledge in wake of controversy
  - Feb. 2019 - Florida sixth grader arrested for refusal to stand and recite pledge

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

U.S. Pledge of Allegiance

U.S. Pledge of Allegiance: Media

Should the words “under God” be in the pledge?

Images

U.S. Pledge of Allegiance

U.S. Pledge of Allegiance

U.S. ailors and Marines say the Pledge of Allegiance during a naturalization ceremony...

Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Gerald Dudley Reynolds/U.S. Navy

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