Hoosier Faith

In the 1950s the Cold War mandate of "One Nation under God" became part of the nation’s official mantra as American school children pledged their allegiance to the Republic each morning. Passed in advance of the Brown decision, the inclusion of the phrase in the pledge of allegiance was seen as shoring up the nation’s Judeo-Christian faith. Throughout the Eisenhower presidency the language of public religion was marshaled into the service of the Cold War agenda: domestic conformity and international hegemony. Eschewing denominational lines and theological exegesis the Eisenhower White House encouraged Americans to have faith, any faith. The similarities between that moment and our own seem striking.


Photographed one late evening in Indianapolis. © 2005