was added to the Pledge of Allegiance by Act of Congress on this date 50 years ago (June 14, 1954). Today the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a California atheist could not challenge the language. The atheist does not have custody of his daughter and, according to the Court, is not her legal representative. The ruling did not address the issue of whether the phrase is an unconstitutional melding of church and state.
In other words, they punted.
On this date in 1777 the Continental Congress approved a national flag:
Resolved, that the Flag of the thirteen United States shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be thirteen stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation.
In 1916 President Wilson issued a proclamation declaring June 14 Flag Day.
The present design of the flag was established in 1818 — thirteen stripes to represent the original states and a star for each state. The current flag with 50 stars was established on July 4, 1960, when Hawaii was admitted to the Union.
The Star Spangled Banner at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 had 15 stars and 15 stripes.
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