by F.R. Duplantier
America's future depends on Americans who believe in America. That's why America's Future was founded fifty years ago!
When America's Future was founded, fifty years ago, the Second World War had just concluded and the United Nations had just been born. The Cold War had not yet begun, and neither had the conservative movement. Fifty years ago, there were only a handful of conservative, constitutionalist, free-market-oriented organizations and publications. But the number of liberal, leftist, and crypto-communist groups in America numbered more than a thousand.
Our nation was in transition in 1946, and our enemies were well-organized. Stouthearted individuals and intrepid organizations were needed to defend the American way of life. And so, on April 24, 1946, America's Future, a nonprofit educational organization, was founded in New York City by a group of businessmen dedicated to the preservation of two great fundamental American principles: the competitive, private enterprise system that has made our country strong and prosperous; and the constitutional form of government that has kept us free from the tyranny of dictators or factions.
From the very beginning, America's Future concentrated its educational efforts on the proverbial man-on-the-fence, the uncommitted millions, students eager to learn about their country and its traditions, educators and ministers (who are the prime targets of the collectivists), parents concerned about the future of their children, workers who have benefitted from the free enterprise system, and voters who control the destiny of our nation. Beginning in 1946, America's Future sponsored and produced over the ABC Radio Network a Sunday afternoon commentary featuring Congressman Samuel Pettengill, a renowned constitutionalist. We also began publishing and distributing pro-American books, pamphlets, and reprints (now numbering in the millions).
In the 1950s, one of the country's most influential print and broadcast commentators, John T. Flynn, joined forces with America's Future. Flynn was a frequent contributor to prestigious national magazines; and his book, The Road Ahead, which showed how socialism was creeping across England and the United States, sold more than one million copies. Flynn pulled no punches. He went behind the headlines to explain the real significance of events and personalities. He attacked Big Government and Big Business with equal vigor, always from the perspective of an unwavering, unapologetic Americanism. His commentaries for America's Future, aptly named "Behind The Headlines," were soon being broadcast on more than 300 radio stations in the Mutual Broadcasting System. Commentaries by Flynn were also distributed to thousands of newspapers across the country, with an estimated readership of twenty million.
That's how America's Future began, fifty years ago. Today, with the vast majority of Americans now identifying themselves as conservatives and the liberal welfare state discredited, we like to think that we can claim some of the credit, and we invite you to join us in celebrating the Golden Anniversary of America's Future.
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