Garry Davis
A former WWII bomber pilot who renounced his nationality to become a 'World Citizen,' staging dramatic protests for global government.
1921–2013 (age 92)·Peace activist and world federalist·Birthday: July 27·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Garry Davis's life was a radical experiment in rejecting the very concept of national borders. Haunted by his experiences as an American B-17 pilot in World War II, he concluded that nationalism itself was the root cause of war. In 1948, he made global headlines by publicly renouncing his U.S. citizenship at the American embassy in Paris, declaring himself a citizen of the world. His most famous stunt came later that year when he interrupted a session of the newly formed United Nations General Assembly, demanding it represent 'the people of the world' directly. Though often dismissed as a utopian, Davis spent decades promoting world citizenship, issuing his own 'World Passport,' and inspiring a movement. He lived as a stateless person, repeatedly detained and deported, his life a persistent, physical challenge to the world order of nation-states.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Garry was born in 1921, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Garry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1921
#1 Movie
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Garry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1921Born
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1926Started school
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1934Became a teenager
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1937Could drive
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1939Could vote
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1942Turned 21
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1951Turned 30
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1961Turned 40
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 50
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 60
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 70
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 80
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2013Died at 92
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Renounced his U.S. citizenship in 1948 in a public protest against nationalism, becoming a stateless 'World Citizen.'
- Interrupted the United Nations General Assembly in Paris in 1948 to appeal for a world government.
- Founded the International Registry of World Citizens and issued thousands of 'World Passports' as a symbolic challenge to border controls.
- Authored several books, including 'My Country is the World,' detailing his philosophy and activism.
Did You Know?
Before his activism, he was a Broadway actor, appearing in a production of 'The Three Sisters' with Katharine Hepburn.
He was briefly jailed in Paris after his UN protest and was supported by intellectuals like Albert Camus and Albert Einstein.
He attempted to enter the United States on his World Passport in 1956 and was detained on Ellis Island for months.
His World Passport has been accepted on a de facto basis for entry by a handful of countries in certain circumstances over the years.
“My country is the world, and my religion is to do good.”
