Pledge of Allegiance Day is a day that commemorates when the U.S. Congress adopted the Pledge of Allegiance into the U.S. Flag Code. This day falls on December 28th, and it’s a day on which all patriotic Americans can take the time to learn more about the Pledge of Allegiance, its place in history, and what it means.

The History of Pledge of Allegiance Day

The Pledge of Allegiance was originally written by Christian socialist minister Francis Bellamy and published in a magazine for young people called The Youth’s Companion. It was published anonymously under the title “The Pledge,” and the magazine in which it appeared was published on September 8, 1892.

In its original form, the pledge read “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” The words “the Flag of the United States of America” were added to the pledge in 1923.

And that’s how it remained until 1954. On Flag Day 1954, as a response to the perceived threat of Communism, U.S. President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words “under God” to the pledge.

After these alterations, the pledge would now read: “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.” It has remained this way ever since.

For many years, the Pledge of Allegiance was required to be spoken by most public school students in the U.S., but this is becoming less common as the years wear on. This is mainly due to a legal challenge that ended up before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court ruled that children could not be compelled to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

Although there were several attempts to make Pledge of Allegiance Day a confirmed U.S. holiday, it wouldn’t be until after 2004 that Pledge of Allegiance Day was commemorated. The date chosen for it was the anniversary of the date on which the Pledge of Allegiance was officially recognized on December 28, 1945, by the U.S. Congress.

Observing Pledge of Allegiance Day

This holiday can be observed by taking a few moments out of your day to learn more about the Pledge of Allegiance and its storied history. It’s also a good day to teach your children about this day as well. While you’re observing this holiday, be sure to use the hashtag #PledgeOfAllegianceDay on your social media accounts to spread the word about it.