Confronting a history marked by struggle, resilience, achievement, and enduring consequences, this work reflects on the complex legacy of a society shaped through the labor and subjugation of people whose voices and freedoms were denied. It invites us to look beyond the symbols and rituals of allegiance and consider what they represent. When we pledge allegiance, to whom—or to what—are we truly pledging? And what does that allegiance mean when viewed through the lens of history, memory, and lived experience?