Francis Bellamy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Bellamy
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Francis Julius Bellamy
May 18, 1855 Mount Morris, New York, U.S.
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| Died | August 28, 1931 (aged 76) |
| Alma mater | University of Rochester |
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| Era | Third Great Awakening |
| Known for | Pledge of Allegiance |
| Movement | Christian socialism |
Francis Julius Bellamy (May 18, 1855 – August 28, 1931) was an American minister and writer. He is most famous for writing the original version of the Pledge of Allegiance in 1892. Bellamy believed in helping working people and sharing resources fairly, ideas he connected to his Christian faith. He was a Christian socialist and a Baptist minister.
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Early Life of Francis Bellamy
Francis Julius Bellamy was born on May 18, 1855, in Mount Morris, New York. His parents were Rev. David Bellamy and Lucy Clark. His family was very active in the Baptist church. When Francis was five, his family moved to Rome, New York.
In Rome, Bellamy became an active member of the First Baptist Church. His father was the minister there until he passed away in 1864. Francis later attended the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York. He studied theology, which is the study of religious faith.
As a young man, Bellamy became a Baptist minister. He traveled to share his faith and help communities. During his travels, he came to Massachusetts. There, he wrote the "Pledge of Allegiance" for a magazine called The Youth's Companion. Bellamy strongly believed that the government and religion should be separate. Because of this, he did not include the words "under God" in his original pledge.
Creating the Pledge of Allegiance
In 1891, Francis Bellamy was hired by Daniel Sharp Ford. Ford owned Youth's Companion magazine. Bellamy worked with Ford's nephew, James B. Upham. The magazine had started selling US flags to public schools in 1888. This was a way to get more people to subscribe to the magazine.
For Upham and Bellamy, selling flags was more than just business. They wanted to see a flag above every school in the nation. This movement was called the schoolhouse flag movement. By 1892, the magazine had sold flags to about 26,000 schools.
Celebrating Columbus Day with a Pledge
In 1892, Upham had an idea to boost the flag movement even more. It was the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus reaching the Americas. The magazine suggested a national celebration for schools on Columbus Day, October 12. This celebration would happen at the same time as the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. A flag salute was planned to be part of the official school program.
Bellamy's pledge was published in the Youth's Companion on September 8, 1892. It was immediately used in the celebration campaign. Bellamy spoke to a national meeting of school superintendents. They liked the idea and formed a committee to plan the program. Bellamy was chosen to lead this committee.
With the support of educators, Bellamy's committee spread the word. They designed an official program for schools to follow on the national celebration day. The program centered around raising the flag and reciting his new pledge.
The Bellamy Salute and Its Change
When the pledge was recited, it was done with a special gesture. This gesture was known as the Bellamy salute. Bellamy himself described how to do it. During World War II, this salute was changed. It was replaced with placing a hand over the heart. This change happened because the original salute, with an arm stretched out, looked too much like the Nazi salute used in Germany.
Adding "Under God" to the Pledge
In 1954, the words "under God" were added to the pledge. This happened during the Cold War. President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to make this change. It was a response to the fear of Communism, which was seen as a threat to religious beliefs. Today, the pledge has 31 words.
Bellamy saw his pledge as a way to protect Americans. He believed it would help new immigrants and less patriotic native-born citizens. He thought it would protect them from ideas he called "radicalism" and "subversion."
Francis Bellamy's Political Ideas
Francis Bellamy was a Christian socialist. This means he believed in ideas like fairness for working people. He also thought that economic resources should be shared more equally. He felt these ideas were taught by Jesus.
In 1891, Bellamy was forced to leave his church in Boston. This happened because he preached against the problems he saw in capitalism. Later, when he moved to Florida, he stopped going to church completely. This was reportedly because of the racism he saw there. Bellamy's career as a preacher ended partly because he often described Jesus as a socialist. Today, some people consider Bellamy an early American democratic socialist.
Bellamy was a leader in several movements. These included public education, nationalization (where the government takes control of industries), and Christian socialism. He worked with many people to start a movement in 1892 to remember history.
Bellamy was influenced by the French thinker Henri de Saint-Simon. Saint-Simon's ideas, called "new Christianity," focused on using science to solve poverty. Bellamy and others who followed these ideas believed that nationalization and public education were good solutions.
In 1889, Bellamy helped start the Society of Christian Socialists in Boston. He was a founding vice president and wrote articles for them. He also led the education committee.
Bellamy taught public education classes on topics like "Jesus the socialist" and "What is Christian Socialism?". He also gave a lecture called "Socialism versus anarchy." In 1891, he wrote down this lecture. It called for a strong government and argued that a socialist economy could help both workers and owners follow the "golden rule." This essay and his public relations skills helped him organize the big Columbus Day campaign.
Bellamy also wrote about immigration and voting rights. He believed that a country like the United States should be careful about who it allows in. He wrote that some immigrants might not fit in well. He thought some groups could bring problems to the country. He also believed that some races were more similar to Americans and would be good to welcome. However, he felt other races could lower the country's "racial standard."
Later Life and Passing
Francis Bellamy spent 19 years working in New York City. During this time, he worked in the advertising industry. He believed in strong advertising that was also truthful. He saw advertising as a way to create demand for American products.
In 1922, Bellamy and his second wife, Marie, moved from New York City to Tampa, Florida. He lived there for the rest of his life. Starting in 1926, he worked part-time as an advertising manager for the Tampa Electric Company. He convinced the company that they needed a good advertising plan. The 1930 Census shows him living at 2926 Wallcraft Avenue. He was let go from Tampa Electric Company on July 15, 1931. He then found a similar job at Tampa Gas Company.
Bellamy passed away in Tampa on August 28, 1931, at 76 years old. His ashes were taken back to New York. They were buried in a family plot in a cemetery in Rome.
Family Life
Bellamy married Harriet Benton in Newark, New York, in 1881. They had three sons: John, David, and Brewster. Brewster died as a baby. His first wife, Harriet, passed away in 1918. He then married Marie Morin in 1920.
His daughter-in-law, Rachael (David's wife), lived in Rochester until she died in 1989 at age 93. David and Rachael had two children, David Jr. and Peter. His son, John Benton Bellamy, married Ruth "Polly" (née Edwards). They had three children: Harriet, Barbara, and John Benton Bellamy, Jr.
Francis Bellamy was also the cousin of Edward Bellamy. Edward was famous for his novel Looking Backward. This book was about a perfect future society. It inspired groups called Nationalist Clubs that also supported a type of Christian Socialism.
See also
In Spanish: Francis Bellamy para niños
