In deciding how to introduce America250 to the American public for its first public service announcement (PSA), America250 secured People’s Television, Inc., to thematically examine the United States’ core values of liberty, self-government, equality, individualism, and unity.

The goal of America250’s debut PSA is to remind the American people of their shared values and drive viewers to the new America250 website, where they will learn more about the events, educational resources, and initiatives America250 is planning to elevate important moments in American history such as those captured in this piece.

Footage details

With voiceovers from former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, viewers embark on a fast-paced review of the American spirit across decades. Moments, places, and faces comprising the debut 30-second PSA: 

The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor; Immigrants arriving at New York’s Ellis Island, 1903; Servicemembers and civilians celebrate the end of World War II; Scientist George Washington Carver in 1940; American auto industry factory and worker in 1980s; 1920s suffragist parade in New York City; Film icon Marilyn Monroe visiting U.S. troops at Seoul Airbase, South Korea, in 1954; track and field legend Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games; American football game in 1940; 1963 Freedom Now civil rights march in Washington D.C.; Grand Entry of Veteran Honor Guard of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe; Sanse Carnival in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 2014; Chinese-Americans marching in the Independence Day parade in Washington D.C.; veteran soldiers competing in the 2014 Warrior Games; 2018 Pride Parade in Orlando, Fla.; 2016 Salute to America featuring soldiers in Washington D.C.; U.S. Capitol Building lit by fireworks in Washington D.C.

PSA story

Throughout America’s history, people from across the globe have immigrated to the United States, where they’ve built a life around the ability to think, speak, and act as they choose. These liberties were enshrined in the Constitution and are reflected in the opening of this PSA with footage of immigrants arriving at New York’s Ellis Island to create communities around the country. 

The ability to engage in these liberties, guided by the principles of self-government, has allowed the American people the independence to break boundaries and explore new frontiers.

While not always living up to its ideals, America’s citizens have always strived for equality, from the suffragists of the early 1900s to the fight for civil rights, which continues today.

America is a nation of multitudes, people of different racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, of different abilities, sexual orientations, and interests. Yet it is the shared value of individualism that allows each and every person to express a unique identity, including the actors, athletes, entertainers, artists, and entrepreneurs who shape American culture. 

What brings everyday Americans together, especially on the Fourth of July, is a shared commitment to unity. Despite many challenges, both at home and abroad, Americans always rise to the challenge with grit and grace. This is what holds the country together and will carry it into the future.

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