1939 Nazi rally at Madison Square Garden

On February 20, 1939, this site hosted an event that remains a dark chapter in American history. The German American Bund, a pro-Nazi organization, packed the arena with 20,000 supporters for what they brazenly labeled a Pro-American Rally. Inside, the stage featured a massive portrait of George Washington flanked by swastikas, a calculated attempt to claim the mantle of American patriotism for their extremist ideology. The audience cheered as speakers railed against what they called Jewish domination and insulted President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Outside, the atmosphere was vastly different, as an estimated 100,000 protesters gathered in the streets to demand an end to the Nazi presence in New York City.