The TIME Magazine Vault

June 27, 1955

Dag Hammarskjold

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Columbus and the Pledge of Allegiance

It was June 22, 1942, that the Pledge of Allegiance was formally recognized by Congress. But, as TIME later explained, its origins are much older than that. "The original 22 words of the Pledge of Allegiance were drawn up in 1892 as a promotional vehicle for a Boston magazine called Youth's Companion," the magazine noted. "Composed by a staff writer for the weekly publication, which normally featured morally uplifting anecdotes for young readers, the pledge was intended for recital at ceremonies marking the 400th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of America."

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June 20, 1960

The Suburban Housewife

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June 18: Women in Flight

It was June 18, 1928, that Amelia Earhart became the first woman to cross the Atlantic—and 55 years later that Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. But, despite the coincidence and the achievement, Ride herself hesitated to emphasize the groundbreaking nature of her flight. "Team player that she is, Ride insists that her participation in the flight, which will pack her into a small, camper-size cabin for a week with four men, is 'no big deal,'" TIME reported. "Says she: 'I didn't come into the space program to be the first woman in space. I came in to get a chance to fly as soon as I could.'"

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June 18, 1951