I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands; one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Composed by members of the staff of the Youth's Companion* and first printed in the issue of Sept. 8, 1892, this pledge rapidly became a fixture of U.S. school life, as standard as Palmer penmanship and chewed erasers. In 1923, out of concern for the possible confusion of the foreign-born, the words "the Flag of the United States" were substituted for "my Flag." The following year the pledge was made even more explicit: "of America" was added after "Flag...