Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

U.S. Considered Shelter for Jews in Alaska

Nearly 70 years ago, Jewish refugees appealed to the United States for entry in an attempt to escape Nazi Germany. A few Washington officials had a plan to loosen America's strict immigration quotas and allow the Jews to live in Alaska.

That proposal never passed Congress. Richard Breitman, a professor of history at American University, talks to Scott Simon about the Alaskan resettlement plan and why it didn't work.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.