Most Americans are taught the Pledge of Allegiance as young students, eager to pay tribute to their flag and their country. However, few Americans really know how the Pledge got its start. The Pledge of Allegiance has had a very interesting history. The pledge was born in 1892 when Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, created… continue
By James Breig John Philip Sousa, the composer, was dubbed “The March King” for his many flag-related and patriotic melodies. So maybe E.T. Paull should be nicknamed “The March Prince.” Now long forgotten, Paull was a major figure in music in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Recently, Bill Edwards wrote a book about… continue
By James Breig This year’s Fourth of July marks not only the 237th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, but also the 150th anniversary of two seminal battles of the Civil War: Gettysburg and Vicksburg. If you subtract 150 from 237, you get a number associated with Abraham Lincoln. The twin historic conflicts, which spanned… continue
By James Breig The continuing 150th anniversary of the four-year Civil War provides an opportunity to focus on regimental flags – and what happened to them. They were carried by troops into battle to mark where their unit was located, to see where they were moving and to provide a rallying point. In a touching… continue