Premieres Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS app
"Journey To America: With Newt And Callista Gingrich" is a new, 90-minute documentary written and directed by Kevin Knoblock ("The First American," "Border War," "Nine Days That Changed The World"), and produced by Knoblock, Newt Gingrich, Callista L. Gingrich, and Donna E. Lusitana.
The film celebrates the achievements of nine individuals from diverse backgrounds who pursued the American dream and contributed to the fabric of our nation — from Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, who arrived from Italy in 1889, to Maria Daume, who was adopted from a Russian orphanage in 2002 and became the first female Marine to earn a traditional infantry title.
The film celebrates their achievements in a nation that, at its best, recognizes that the ideas of freedom and opportunity are still a beacon of hope for so many who come to America.
The film subjects include:
- Dr. Henry Kissinger, a Jewish, German-American statesman who emigrated to the U.S. in 1938 and served as secretary of state and national security advisor under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.
- Xi Van Fleet, a Chinese-American activist and author who came to the U.S. in 1986.
- Kam Ghaffarian, an Iranian-American who came to the U.S. in 1977 and became executive chairman of Axiom Space.
- Hedy Lamarr, a Jewish Austrian-American actress and inventor who emigrated to the U.S. in 1937.
- Maria Daume, a Russian-American who was adopted from an orphanage in 2002 and became the first female graduate of the United States Marine Corps School of Infantry.
- Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, an Italian-American who emigrated in 1889 and was a founder of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred, as well as the first U.S. citizen to be canonized as a saint.
- Albert Einstein, a German-American and renowned physicist who emigrated in 1933.
- Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan-American who first came to the U.S. as a student in 1966 and became a diplomat and foreign policy expert, as well as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
- Victoria Spartz, a Ukrainian-American who came to the U.S. in 2000 and was elected as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Indiana in 2020.
On-camera commentators include:
- Author and Tulane University professor Walter Isaacson
- University of Dallas history professor Susan Hanssen
- Political philosopher William Allen
- Princeton University historian Allen C. Guelzo
- California Institute of Technology professor Julia R. Greer
- Deadline Hollywood writer Pete Hammond
- St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine
- Executive Director Julia Attaway
Filmmaker Quotes:
“We are and have always been a country of immigrants,” Newt Gingrich said about the series. “Immigration has become such a loaded political issue that we often lose sight of the fact that, as a country, we’ve significantly benefitted from the hard work and creativity of generations of immigrants who legally migrated to our country.”
“'Journey To America' is a celebration of our diversity and a reminder that regardless of one’s political ideology, we’re a better country when the contributions of legal immigrants are recognized,” said Callista Gingrich. “In 'Journey To America,' we want to assure viewers that the American dream is alive and well in communities across our nation.”
“We’re very excited to bring this film to PBS because we hope to have this conversation with people across America, regardless of where they live, their politics, or their background,” Newt Gingrich added.
“It was a huge challenge to select nine individuals to profile,” Kevin Knoblock said. “We very intentionally looked at a combination of people who would be known and more obscure, from earlier periods in our past and today, to create a diverse fabric, including people from China, Afghanistan, Iran, and Russia, among other places. We know that these stories can be substituted by others that are equally enriching and hope that the film inspires people around the country to share their stories.”
"Journey To America" is narrated by Speaker Newt Gingrich and Ambassador Callista L. Gingrich and focuses on nine individuals, including interviews with the person as well as historians and others who can help us understand their accomplishments.
Watch On Your Schedule: "Journey To America: With Newt And Callista Gingrich" will also be available to stream on all station-branded PBS platforms including PBS.org and the PBS app, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO.
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Credits: Written and directed by Kevin Knoblock, executive produced by Newt Gingrich and Callista L. Gingrich, and produced by Kevin Knoblock and Donna E. Lusitana. Kevin O’Brien was the Director of Photography. The film was edited by John Moore, narrated by Newt Gingrich and Callista L. Gingrich, and produced by Gingrich 360 and Peace River Company LLC.
