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The House I Live In

10 min 44 sec36 shots

A male singer finishes a romantic song in a recording studio and steps outside during a break, where he finds a group of boys preparing to attack another boy because of his religion. He challenges their prejudice by asking whether religious differences would matter if blood donated by the targeted boy’s father had saved another boy’s wounded father. The singer tells them that Americans come from many backgrounds, speak in different ways, and worship in different churches, but remain equal members of the country.

To emphasize cooperation, he recounts a wartime story about a Presbyterian pilot and a Jewish bombardier serving together against a Japanese battleship. He then sings “The House I Live In,” describing America through homes, streets, workplaces, schools, freedom of speech, and people of all races and religions. The boys listen quietly before the singer returns to work and they walk away.

Provenance and rights

Original producer: Creator listed on Library of Congress item record
Collection: Library of Congress — explicit public-domain National Film Registry set
Original title: The House I Live In
Date: Unknown
Original link: Open on loc.gov
Rights: public_domain