1956
President Eisenhower Signs “In God We Trust” Into Law
On this day in 1956, two years after pushing
to have the phrase “under God” inserted into the pledge of allegiance,
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a law officially declaring “In God We
Trust” to be the nation’s official motto. The law, P.L. 84-140, also mandated
that the phrase be printed on all American paper currency. The phrase had been
placed on U.S. coins since the Civil War when, according to the historical
association of the United States Treasury, religious sentiment reached a peak.
Eisenhower’s treasury secretary, George Humphrey, had suggested adding the
phrase to paper currency as well.
Although some historical accounts claim
Eisenhower was raised a Jehovah’s Witness, most presidential scholars now
believe his family was Mennonite. Either way, Eisenhower abandoned his family’s
religion before entering the Army, and took the unusual step of being baptized
relatively late in his adult life as a Presbyterian. The baptism took place in
1953, barely a year into his first term as president.
Although Eisenhower embraced religion,
biographers insist he never intended to force his beliefs on anyone. In fact,
the chapel-like structure near where he and his wife Mamie are buried on the
grounds of his presidential library is called the “Place of Meditation” and is
intentionally inter-denominational. At a Flag Day speech in 1954, he elaborated
on his feelings about the place of religion in public life when he discussed
why he had wanted to include “under God” in the pledge of allegiance: “In this
way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s
heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual
weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and
war.”
The first paper money with the phrase “In God
We Trust” was not printed until 1957. Since then, religious and secular groups
have argued over the appropriateness and constitutionality of a motto that
mentions “God,” considering the founding fathers dedication to maintaining the
separation of church and state.