Citizen of the World

Gary Davis, a former Broadway actor and WWII pilot, renounced his American citizenship in 1948 to protest the nation-state system, which he identified as the primary driver of global conflict. By declaring himself a "World Citizen," Davis founded the World Service Authority to issue alternative identity documents, including World Passports, to refugees and stateless individuals. While these documents lack universal legal recognition, they have been honored thousands of times by border officials, serving as a practical tool for those without traditional nationality. Davis’s legacy persists through his organization’s ongoing legal advocacy for the displaced and the promotion of a borderless global identity. Scott Gurian, who interviewed Davis in 2009, highlights how this radical act of defiance challenges the inherent power of national borders and the bureaucratic systems that determine human value based on place of birth.