Description
In the aftermath of WWII, the travelling American emerged as a hotly-debated domestic and foreign policy concern. While some political actors sought to restrict the circulation of ‘subversives’ to and from the United States, others imagined travel as an opportunity to project American political power and prestige as part of a broader ‘cultural’ Cold War. Central to these constructions of American travel was the US Passport Office, which during the 1950s and 60s underwent an unprecedented expansion under the directorship of Frances Knight, then one of the most high-profile and controversial figures within the State Department. Yet in stark contrast to other cold warriors, Knight is now almost entirely forgotten. Similarly, although the denial of passports to communists is well-documented, the ‘productive’ role of the Passport Office in waging Cold War — i.e. producing travel — has been underexamined in political and historical scholarship.
This paper harnesses detailed archival research at the US National Archives and Library of Congress to accomplish two specific goals. First, illustrating the central role of both the US Passport Office and Director Frances Knight in creating and shaping American travel. Second, demonstrating the value of biography specifically — and historical research more generally — for scholars of security.
