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President Eisenhower inserts the phrase "Under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance.

1954

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The Pledge was originally written in 1892 as a marketing gimmick to draw visitors to the Columbian Exhibition that celebrated the 400 year anniversary of Columbus' arrival in the Americas. The Pledge was created as part of a program to introduce children to the exhibition in their schools, with a focus on assimilating new Southern and Eastern European immigrants.

In 1954, Eisenhower, driven by the Red Scare and his own anti-communism, adds "Under God" to the Pledge. Multiple legal cases will attempt to remove it in the coming years, arguing that it breaches the separation of church and state.