PREMIERES TUESDAY, JAN 14 at 9:00PM

JOURNEY TO AMERICA: WITH NEWT AND CALLISTA GINGRICH, a new 90-minute written and directed by Kevin Knoblock, 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.

“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.”

JOURNEY TO AMERICA focuses on nine individuals, including interviews with the person as well as historians and others who can help us understand their accomplishments. 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, and St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Shrine Executive Director Julia Attaway.

“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.