Author Description

Francis Julius Bellamy (May 18, 1855 to August 28, 1931) was an American socialist and the author of the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. This book explains how Bellamy's pledge resulted in the "stiff-arm" salute that inspired socialists worldwide, including Adolf Hitler when he headed the National Socialist German Workers Party, and Benito Mussolini when he was a socialist leader too. Bellamy was born in Mount Morris, New York; however, his parents moved to Rome when Bellamy was five years old. That was the city of Rome in the state of New York (not in Italy). Bellamy's connection to Rome, NY, is important because it was the origin of the "ancient Roman salute" myth (that the stiff-armed gesture used in the early Pledge of Allegiance is a gesture from the ancient Roman Empire) that was debunked by Dr. Rex Curry, America's Historian Laureate. Because Bellamy was from Rome, NY, the term "Roman salute" was used to refer to the gesture for Bellamy's pledge. "Roman salute" referred to the stiff-armed gesture (the classic "Nazi salute") that developed from Bellamy's initial gestures (i.e. the Military salute). Roman salutes and Nazi Salutes are Bellamy Salutes from Military Salutes. Or to put it another way: Nazi salutes came from Military salutes in Bellamy salutes as Roman salutes. People from the city of Rome in the state of New York were referred to as "Romans" during Bellamy's life (and they continue to refer to themselves as "Romans" today). Francis Bellamy himself was referred to as a "Roman" because of his connection to Rome, NY. As time went by, people became confused and believed that the "Roman salute" referencing the city within New York State, was instead a reference to ancient Rome in Italy. The early stiff-armed gesture in the USA's Pledge of Allegiance was not from ancient Rome. There was no such thing as an "ancient Roman salute." The modern Roman salute myth evolved from the USA's Pledge of Allegiance. In 1892, Bellamy became chair