"What is America to me?"

January 20, 2021, Inauguration Day, marked a historic moment -- of new beginnings, of healing words and songs. We heard from Garth and Gaga and JLo. And the amazing young poet Amanda Gorman.
    Look back to 1946, when a triumphant and battle-weary America was just beginning to recover from fighting a long, existential war against hatred, intolerance, and totalitarianism across the globe. America was home to a young, hugely popular singing star who had teenage girls everywhere swooning (including my Mom!). Frank Sinatra had something that he really wanted to sing about. 
     It's a song called "The House I Live In" in a short film of the same name. It was created to help battle anti-Semitism, and intolerance of all minorities, here at home in America. Sinatra was no stranger to intolerance. He grew up poor in Hoboken, NJ, and was the target of anti-Italian bigotry. He became an early champion of equal rights, insisting on equal pay and treatment for the Black artists who toured with him. 

     The action is set at a recording studio where Sinatra has been putting down tracks. The first 2 minutes, 45 seconds are skippable -- it's kind of a lousy, unmemorable ballad. Finished with the first song,  he pops out to the alley for a smoke break, and something happens that sparks a different song. For their efforts on "The House I Live In,"  the filmmakers were honored with a special Academy Award. Skip to 2:45.