Overview
- Description
- On June 29, 1941 Dr. Frank Kingdon spoke with William H. Carmichael, District Director of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, about why he is devoting his time to national defense. Dr. Kingdon reveals he came to America because he believes there was more opportunity for individualism. He shares his immigration story. He says he has always thought of America as home. Dr. Kingdon adds, “If America today has a foreign problem, it doesn't rise from the mixed population. But from out of date beliefs that there are any foreign nations and foreign people in this modern age.” Dr. Kingdon refers to the planet as one big city because the radio allows many people to listen to one man’s voice. He warns of the most dangerous influences coming from outside the country’s borders. Dr. Kingdon explains the changes of democracy over the years.
Dr. Frank Kingdon (b. Francis Kingdon Ward) was born on November 6, 1885 in Manchester, England. He and his family emigrated to America the same year. Dr. Kingdon earned degrees from Boston University, Harvard, Albion College, and Ohio Northern University. While in school, he became a naturalized citizen. He went on to become a botanist, explorer, plant collector educator, political commentator and author. Dr. Frank Kingdon was also active in many causes like the Newark Community Chest, the International Rescue and Relief Committee, the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies and the Fight for Freedom Committee. He also served as special assistant to the chairman of the War Manpower Commission and the chairman of the War Production Board during World War II. - Date
-
Broadcast:
1941 June 29
- Format
- WAV
Physical Details
- Language
- English
- Genre/Form
- Radio broadcasts.
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- This archival media can only be accessed in a Museum reading room or other on-campus viewing stations.
- Copyright
- NBC Universal
- Conditions on Use
- Contact NBC Universal at www.nbcuniarchives.com for permission to duplicate and use this film or sound recording.
Administrative Notes
- Legal Status
- In process
- Recorded Sound Provenance
- The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum purchased digital copies of these sound recordings from the Library of Congress in March 2018.
- Recorded Sound Notes
- More information about Dr Frank Kingdon:
https://www.nytimes.com/1972/02/25/archives/dr-frank-kingdon-educator-author-and-commentator-dies.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Kingdon-Ward
http://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w66t0kpz
More information about I’M AN AMERICAN:
https://www.uscis.gov/history-and-genealogy/our-history/historians-mailbox/im-american
https://www.npr.org/2017/10/16/557338355/im-an-american-radio-show-promoted-inclusion-before-world-war-ii
Technical notes: This reel is damaged. - Recorded Sound Source
- Library of Congress - Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division (MBRS)
- Record last modified:
- 2024-02-21 07:27:11
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn621014
Download & Licensing
- Request Copy
- See Rights and Restrictions
- Terms of Use
- This record is digitized but cannot be downloaded online.
In-Person Research
- Requires Research Visit
- Plan a Research Visit
Contact Us
Also in "I'm An American" NBC radio broadcasts
I’M AN AMERICAN premiered in 1940 on the eve of WWII. The NBC radio broadcast was spearheaded by the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the U.S. Department of Labor to foster a “deeper consciousness of the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship and more tolerance for fellow american of all birthplaces”. The weekly program featured distinguished foreign-born citizens discussing their naturalization process, the meaning of “democracy” and reminding all Americans of the value/privilege of U.S. citizenship. Sound recordings of I’M AN AMERICAN are available from the NBC Radio Collection in the Library of Congress.
Date: 1940-1944
I'm An American -- Anton Lang
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Guy Lombardo
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Ludwig Bemelmans
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Hans Kindler
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Luise Rainer
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Charles Pergler
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Gaetono Salvemini
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Paul Muni
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Béla Schick
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Leopold Stokowski
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Attilio Piccirilli
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Igor Sikorsky
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Louis Adamic
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Konrad Bercovici
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Emil Ludwig
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Walter Damrosch
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Guiseppe Bellanca
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Thomas Mann
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day 1942 part 2
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day 1942 part 3
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day 1942 part 4
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day 1943 part 1
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day 1943 part 2
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day 1943 part 3
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day -- Christmas in Freedom
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Walter Huston
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Robert Zuppke
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Efrem Zimbalist
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Daniel Tobin
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Edith Kempthorne
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Pitirim Sorokin
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day 1942 part 1
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Vilhjálmur Stefánsson
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- César Saerchinger
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Ferdinand Schumann-Heink
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Richard Waring
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- William Schlamm
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Max Lerner
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Fortune Gallo
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Fred Perry
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Raymond Loewy
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day 1941 -- The Dangerous Days
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day 1941 -- I'm An American Day
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day 1941 -- Fiorello LaGuardia
Recorded Sound
I'm An American Day 1941 -- One Nation Indivisible
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Henry Morgenthau Sr
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Kurt Weill
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Franz Werfel
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Frank Capra
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Xavier Cugat
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Anton Carlson
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Johannes Steele
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Yolanda Mero-Irion
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Jean Hersholt
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Rabbi Stephen Wise
Recorded Sound
I'm An American -- Gregory Zilboorg
Recorded Sound