A Voice for Unity: The 1947 Freedom Train and Collective Memory of the American Revolution

One element of American Revolution memory is how united the colonists were during the Revolution. Many subsequent political groups, such as the American Heritage Foundation (AHF), utilized this idealistic collective memory to advocate for unity and legitimize their agendas. Through the 1947 Freedom Train, the AHF shaped and reinforced a unified, idealistic, national heritage to unite Americans against the perceived threats of communism, disloyalty, and disunity at home, partially by framing the American Revolution as a united endeavor. Some Utahns and Americans at large, while supporting the pro-capitalist message embedded in the train, applied its message to support the protection of American freedoms against injustices such as during the HUAC Hollywood hearings and with African American civil rights issues. These situations demonstrated how the ideals in Revolutionary memory did not reflect reality. Through this study, the memory of the Revolution continues to be malleable, fluid, and adaptable to the ever-changing issues Americans face.