William Tyler Page

Who was William Tyler Page?

William Tyler Page, was best known for his authorship of the American's Creed. He was born in 111 Record Street Frederick, Maryland, United States, a descendant of Carter Braxton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence; and of the tenth U.S. President John Tyler. In 1881, at the age of 13, he travelled to Washington D.C. to serve as a page at the U.S. Capitol, thus beginning a 61-year-long career as a national public servant.

In 1917 at age 49, Page wrote the American's Creed as a submission to a nationwide patriotic contest, the goal of which was to have a concise but complete statement of American political faith. Drawing on a wide variety of historical documents and speeches, including the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and others, he crafted a simple yet profoundly moving expression of American patriotism.

His submission was chosen above more than 3000 others. On April 3, 1918 it was accepted by the U.S. House of Representatives, on behalf of the American people. Today it also often comprises part of the Naturalization Ceremony for new Americans.

There is a William Tyler Page Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland.