I'm An American Day -- Christmas in Freedom

The I’m An American Day celebration is being broadcast from Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York on December 23, 1944. The temporary haven is an emergency refugee shelter for more than 1,000 Europeans. Newspaper columnist Dorothy Thompson reports on the displaced people’s first Christmas in America. She reports there are refugees from 14 different nations. Thompson describes their enjoyments of American freedoms despite being restricted to base. She explains why saving their lives should be important to the American people. Joseph Smart, War Relocation Authority Director of the Emergency Refugee Shelter, is introduced as the host of the celebration. A mixed choir made up of refugees sings a Yugoslavian Christmas Carol “A King Is Born to Us”. 15-year-old Vince Marinkovich shares why he and his family left Europe. He also expresses happiness and gratitude from all the refugee children. The choir sings “I Bring You Glad Tidings” in Czech. Gretta Weinstein, a wife in Fort Ontario, shares her immigration story. She thanks America for harboring her family. She states she wants to live and not be hunted by enemies. The refugees thank all Americans. The program concludes with a soloist and mixed choir singing “Silent Night”.