World Brotherhood Merit Badge History

Introduced1952

StatusDiscontinued 1972

Earned through 1972130,690

Best year196311,523 earned

All-time popularity#133official, as of 2020#138by 2025 (estimate)

The Story

In 1952 the Citizenship merit badge was broken into 4 individual merit badges; Citizenship in the Home, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, and World Brotherhood, which in 1972 would eventually turn into Citizenship in the World. These 4 merit badges still utilized the Citizenship merit badge pamphlet until 1972 when they were reorganized into their own subject matters. The World Brotherhood is one of the only merit badges that never had its own merit badge pamphlet book exclusively. The World Brotherhood merit badge was redesigned in 1969 to show the Scout sign on the badge, until it was morphed into the Citizenship in the World merit badge in 1972.

Trivia

Timeline

1952 The World Brotherhood merit badge is introduced. The first World Brotherhood merit badges are earned: 1,305 that year.

Merit Badge Patches

Select a patch to enlarge it; many include the back.

Type E1952 - 1960variations
Not made
Type F1961-1968 badges were fully embroidered (Type G)
Type G1961 - 1968cloth and gauze back
Type G1969 - 1971cloth back
Type H1972blue back

What do the patch types mean?

Type E: Khaki narrow border crimped (1947 - 1960). Back to heavier cloth after the war, now in khaki.
Type F: Rolled edge twill (1961 - 1968). The embroidered border is rolled over the edge instead of crimped, with a gauze backing.
Type G: Cloth back (1961 - 1971). Fully embroidered with a cloth back. By about 1969 every merit badge was made this way.
Type H: Plastic back (1972 - 2002). A plastic stiffener on the back. Collectors tell them apart by the back, which can be clear, white, or a very light blue plastic, with waffle-textured and smooth molded versions. These are sorted into variations H1 through H5.

Dates are approximate and can vary by badge.

Earned by Year

First earned in 1952. Peak year 1963 with 11,523. Hover over or tap a year for its numbers.

19521,305 earned#85 of 120

19535,720 earned#37 of 105

19547,465 earned#36 of 103

19557,383 earned#38 of 100

19567,267 earned#41 of 100

19577,389 earned#39 of 100

19587,385 earned#38 of 101

19597,257 earned#40 of 101

19609,679 earned#39 of 100

196111,118 earned#39 of 101

196210,898 earned#40 of 101

196311,523 earned#40 of 102

19648,351 earned#45 of 107

19655,686 earned#55 of 109

19664,628 earned#58 of 110

19674,235 earned#60 of 112

19683,247 earned#69 of 112

19693,374 earned#71 of 113

19702,769 earned#78 of 113

19712,632 earned#77 of 113

19721,379 earned#111 of 124

"#111 of 124" means the badge was number 111 of the 124 merit badges earned that year. The 2025 all-time place is an estimate, because the counts for 2021 to 2025 are worked out from each year's official ranking and the total number of merit badges earned that year.

19521,305#85 of 120

19535,720#37 of 105

19547,465#36 of 103

19557,383#38 of 100

19567,267#41 of 100

19577,389#39 of 100

19587,385#38 of 101

19597,257#40 of 101

19609,679#39 of 100

196111,118#39 of 101

196210,898#40 of 101

196311,523#40 of 102

19648,351#45 of 107

19655,686#55 of 109

19664,628#58 of 110

19674,235#60 of 112

19683,247#69 of 112

19693,374#71 of 113

19702,769#78 of 113

19712,632#77 of 113

19721,379#111 of 124

Grand total through 1972:

World Brotherhood: workbook data

Printings (0)

Have	Year	Month	Cover	Back	Run	©	BSA #	UPC	SKU	SA #	HC	Notes

Earned and rank by year

Year	Earned	Rank	Of
1952	1,305	85	120
1953	5,720	37	105
1954	7,465	36	103
1955	7,383	38	100
1956	7,267	41	100
1957	7,389	39	100
1958	7,385	38	101
1959	7,257	40	101
1960	9,679	39	100
1961	11,118	39	101
1962	10,898	40	101
1963	11,523	40	102
1964	8,351	45	107
1965	5,686	55	109
1966	4,628	58	110
1967	4,235	60	112
1968	3,247	69	112
1969	3,374	71	113
1970	2,769	78	113
1971	2,632	77	113
1972	1,379	111	124