The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States 
originated on Columbus Day, 1893. It contained no reference to Almighty
God, until in New York City on April 22, 1951, the Board of Directors of the
Knights of Columbus adopted a resolution to amend the Pledge of 
Allegiance as recited at the opening of each of the meetings of the 800 
Fourth Degree Assemblies of the Knights of Columbus by addition of the 
words “under God” after the words “one nation.” The adoption of this 
resolve by the Supreme Board of Directors had the effect of immediate 
initiation of this practice throughout the aforesaid Fourth Degree 
Assembly meetings. 
    At their annual State meetings, held in April and May of 1952, the 
State Councils of Florida, South Dakota, New York and Michigan adopted 
resolutions recommending that the Pledge of Allegiance be so amended 
and that Congress be petitioned to have such an amendment made 
effective. 

    On August 21, 1952, the Supreme Council of the Knights of 
Columbus at its annual meeting adopted a resolution urging that the 
change be made general and copies of this resolution were sent to the 
President, the Vice President (as Presiding Officer of the Senate) and the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. The National Fraternal 
Congress meeting in Boston on September 24, 1952, adopted a similar 
resolution upon the recommendation of its President, Supreme Knight 
Luke E. Hart. Several State Fraternal Congresses acted likewise almost 
immediately thereafter. 

    At its annual meeting the following year, on August 20, 1953, the 
Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus repeated its resolution to 
make the amendment to the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag general and 
to send copies of this resolve to the President, Vice President, Speaker of 
the House, and to each member of both Houses of Congress. From this 
latter action, many favorable replies were received, and a total of 
seventeen resolutions were introduced into the House of Representatives
to so amend the Pledge of Allegiance as set forth in Public Law relating to
the Flag. The resolution introduced by Congressman Louis C. Rabaut of 
Michigan was adopted by both Houses of Congress, and it was signed by 
President Eisenhower on Flag Day, June 14, 1954, thereby making the 
official amendment conceived, sponsored and put into practice by the 
Knights of Columbus more than three years before. 

     In a message to Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart at the meeting of the 
Supreme Council in Louisville, August 17, 1954, President Eisenhower, in 
recognition of the initiative of the Knights of Columbus in originating and 
sponsoring the amendment to the Pledge of Allegiance, said: 
“We are particularly thankful to you for 
your part in the movement to have the 
words ‘under God’ added to our Pledge 
of Allegiance. These words will remind 
Americans that despite our great 
physical strength we must remain humble. 
They will help us to keep constantly in 
our minds and hearts the spiritual and 
moral principles which alone give dignity 
to man, and upon which our way of life 
is founded. For the contribution which 
your organization has made to this 
cause, we must be genuinely grateful.”

     In August 1954, the Illinois American Legion Convention adopted a 
resolution whereby recognition was given to the Knights of Columbus as 
having initiated, sponsored and brought about the amendment to the 
Pledge of Allegiance; and on October 6, 1954, the National Executive 
Committee of the American Legion gave its approval to that resolution.