— For Home Use Only —

“America the Beautiful” may be America’s most beloved song. It has been sung at inaugurations, demonstrations and sporting events, in a variety of musical styles. There have been numerous proposals to make it the national anthem, most notably by music legend Ray Charles. The song celebrates the country’s natural beauty and makes a powerful appeal for justice, brotherhood and inclusion.

But few know about the fascinating life of successful author and Wellesley College professor Katharine Lee Bates, the woman who wrote the song.

The first words of Bates' poem “America” came to Bates as she surveyed the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains from the summit of Colorado’s Pike’s Peak on July 22, 1893. During her long career as an educator, author and journalist for national news outlets like The Atlantic Monthly and the New York Times, Bates was outspoken in her support for the working class, women's rights and global governance. These values are reflected in the words of "America," which was later set to music and became “America the Beautiful”. Her story should not be forgotten, nor its context within the tumultuous period of American history which influenced Bates and inspired the words many Americans still sing today.

The story of Bates' life and activism is a tale that does not ignore the fact that the United States has often failed to live up to its promises and ideals, yet it still honors the unbroken chain of Americans who—honoring those ideals and loving their country deeply—strove to make it all it can be.

Presented by Bullfrog Films
Directed by John de Graaf
Produced by Laurence Cotton, Karen Olcott
Editor: Greg Davis
Photography: Greg Davis, Diana Wilmar
Executive Producers: Kevin White, Vada O. Manager
Consulting Producer: Melinda Ponder
Watercolor Art: Lisa Bade
Music: Michael Bade
Photo researcher: Hana Jakoubkova
Voice of Bates: Kate Udall

Educational Use: https://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/froms.html
Academic Streaming: https://docuseek2.com/bf-froms
Community Screenings: https://www.bullfrogcommunities.com/fromseatoshiningsea