Flag Salute

"Flag Salute" is a poem written by Esther Popel about the lynching of George Armwood on October 18, 1933 in Princess Anne, Maryland. It was first published in August 1934 in The Crisis and later republished in its entirety on the cover of The Crisis in 1940.

It juxtaposes the murder of Armwood with quotations from the Pledge of Allegiance. The poem reflects that lynching in the United States had become a "ritual of interracial social control."

Text
"“I pledge allegiance to the flag”—

They dragged him naked Through the muddy streets, A feeble-minded black boy! And the charge? Supposed assault Upon an aged woman!

“Of the United States of America”—

One mile they dragged him Like a sack of meal, A rope around his neck, A bloody ear Left dangling by the patriotic hand Of Nordic youth! (A boy of seventeen!)

“And to the Republic for which it stands”—

And then they hanged his body to a tree, Below the window of the county judge Whose pleadings for that battered human flesh Were stifled by the brutish, raucous howls Of men, and boys, and women with their babes, Brought out to see the bloody spectacle Of murder in the style of ‘33! (Three thousand strong, they were!)

“One Nation, Indivisible”—

To make the tale complete They built a fire— What matters that the stuff they burned Was flesh—and bone—and hair— And reeking gasoline!

“With Liberty—and Justice”—

They cut the rope in bits And passed them out, For souvenirs, among the men and boys! The teeth no doubt, on golden chains Will hang About the favored necks of sweethearts, wives, And daughters, mothers, sisters, babies, too!

“For ALL!”"