With your support, we can finish this film and target AMERICA at 250
How you can help
July 4 – Independence Day – in 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of The Declaration of Independence. Across America, festivities and events will be scheduled to celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial, or America at 250.
This historic milestone is an opportunity for us to participate in the national conversation about American history, recognize the contributions of all Americans, and look ahead toward a more inclusive future. It would be the perfect time to educate and inspire Americans with the surprisingly overlooked story of a Sikh American who ran for Congress and won 70 years ago. This film will engage Americans in reasoned debates about governance, representation, coalition politics and voter registration.
Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support the production of the film.
Share stories about 1956 America, connect us to people who knew Saund or Cochran or anyone who voted in 1956 (they’d be in their 80s today).
This is an independent media project currently in development. 100% tax-deductible contributions to this documentary film can be made through our fiscal sponsor, the Center for Independent Documentary. Click the QR code for information on how to donate by credit card or by check.
In 2026, you will hear a lot from America250– an initiative working to engage every American in the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This is the perfect opportunity to tell the story about Dalip Singh Saund– our first Asian American congressperson.
We are seeking partnerships with organizations working to increase civic participation and to screen the film for broad audiences.
Host An Event
Consider inviting us to present the story to your personal network or to a group of colleagues (companies often double or match your tax-deductible donations).
Newsletter
Help us grow our newsletter– when we approach a distributor to broadcast the film, we’d like to say that there are thousands of people who are waiting to see this movie.
Sign up below and encourage others to do so!
Non-Profit & Organization Donors
National Endowment for the Humanities
ITVS Diversity Development Fund
Ford Foundation JustFilms
California Humanities
Center for Asian American Media
Dasvandh Network
The Dirksen Congressional Center
Bright Minds Learning Academy, WI
Chugh LLP, CA
Broadview Animal Hospital, IL
Sher-E-Punjab Sports Club Midwest Chicago
Sikh Foundation of Virginia
Sikh Temple of Wisconsin
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Internships have been generously supported by the Wasserman Center Internship Grant at NYU,
the Jeff Metcalf Fellowship Grant at the University of Chicago,
and by the Berkeley Journalism-Knight Foundation Internship Grant.
Individual Donors
Eric Saund & Laura Larkin, CA
Pia Sawhney, NY
Beesham A. Seecharan, NY
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Paranjit Kaur, AZ
Dr. Amarjit Singh Marwah, CA
Shiv Grewal, CA
Rubén Guevara, CA
Gurdip S. & Nirmaljeet K. Malik, CA
Herjinder S. & Harbhajan K. Malhi, CA
Suren Sapkota, CA
Amandeep Singh, CA
Baldev Singh, CA
Mahendra Singh, CA
Mandira Singh, CA
Ershey Uppal, CA
Baldev Singh Vij, CA
Andrew McLauthlin, CO
Gunita Singh, DC
Priyanka Zielinski, FL
Sukmel S. Atwal, IL
Dave Singh Aulakh, IL
Amardeep Singh Badesha, IL
Gurpreet Singh Bansal, IL
Dr. Gurdial Singh Basran, IL
Amarjeet Bedi, IL
Sarabjit S. Bhandal, IL
Jaidev Singh Bhattal, IL
Gurmukh Bhullar, IL
Kulwant Bolina, IL
Sarwan Singh Bolina, IL
Bola Singh Brar, IL
Balwinder Chatha, IL
Surinder Singh Dhami, IL
Azad Dhillon, IL
Bhupinder S. Dhillon, IL
Rajwinder Dhillon, IL
Jagjit Singh Dhindsa, IL
Hardeep S. Gill, IL
Pardeep Gill, IL
Satnam S. Gill, IL
Balwinder Girn, IL
Sukhwinder Singh Hunjan, IL
Ranjini Iyer, IL
Jaspal S. Kaler, IL
Paramvir Kaur, IL
Jasbir Kaur Mann, IL
Jaspal Midha, IL
Tarlochan Singh Multani, IL
Parvinder Nanua, IL
Baldev Raju, IL
Aamhish Rao, IL
Sadhi Singh Rikhiraj, IL
Gurdip S. Sangha, IL
Balraj Samra, IL
Dr. Amardeep Singh Sangha, IL
Randip Sangha, IL
Jasdeep Saran, IL
Karanjit Sarkaria, IL
Chirag Shah, IL
Jagjit Shahi, IL
Amarjit Singh, IL
Amrik Singh, IL
Arvinder Singh, IL
Balwinder Singh, IL
Gur Singh, IL
Gurdip Singh, IL
Gurlabh Singh, IL
Gurpreet Singh, IL
Harinder Singh, IL
Jasmir Singh, IL
Jasvir Singh, IL
Jaswinder Singh, IL
Karamjeet Singh, IL
Kewal Singh, IL
Lakhwinder Singh, IL
Nimrata Singh, IL
Paramvir Singh, IL
Ramanjit Singh, IL
Resham Singh, IL
Rupinder Singh, IL
Hariqbaljit K. Singha, IL
Surjit S. Sodhi, IL
Kamaljit Virdi, IL
Surjeet K. Bhangoo, IN
Parampreet Singh, IN
Sarabjit Singh, IN
Surinder Singh, IN
Ranbir Singh, KS
Ujjal Dasgupta, LA
Daljit Kaur Soni (Dhami), MD
Mahesh Singh, MD
Ranbir Singh Dhaliwal, MI
Aruj Jain, NJ
Keith Kamisugi, NV
Daniel Chao, NJ
Trina DasGupta Pillay, NY
Tejaswini Ganti, NY
Simi Mir, NY
Niti Parikh, NY
Paola Piaggio, NY
Alec Rajeev, NY
Anita Sharma, NY
Prabhdeep Singh, NY
Shagun Singh, NY
Sonali Sridhar, NY
Jagjit Singh, OK
Amarjit Dhindsa, TX
Kimberly Spikes, TX
Tanmeet Singh,UT
Pandu Balaram, VA
Amit Chandra, VA
Priya Blazkova, VA
Subash & Sarla Chandra, VA
Monisha Kapila, VA
Khanna Family, VA
Prabhakar Tamboli, VA
Sarbjit Singh Lehal, WA
Jaswant S. Arora, WI
Rupinder Arora, WI
Shauna Singh Baldwin, WI
Beant S. Boparai, WI
Harbhajan Singh Chahal, WI
Gurcharan S. Chawla, WI
Depinder Dhaliwal, WI
Kulwant S. Dhaliwal, WI
Balwinder Dhillon, WI
Inderjeet Singh Dhillon, WI
Jaggi Singh Ghotra, WI
Dr. Amandeep Gill, WI
Amritpal Gill, WI
Dr. Harcharan S. Gill, WI
Nachallan Singh Gill, WI
Parminder Singh Goldi, WI
Parminder Singh Grewal, WI
Lakhvir Hansi, WI
Parshotam Singh Jassi, WI
Sukhdev S. Kahlon, WI
Arvinder Kaur, WI
Satinder Kaur, WI
Arvinder Khasria, WI
Harjinder Khasria, WI
Baljinder Singh Khattra, WI
Gaganjot Khurana, WI
Devinder S. Sangha, WI
Harjinder Sangha, WI
Lakhbir Singh Sehra, WI
Kulwinder Sharma, WI
Joginder Siddhu, WI
Amrik Singh, WI
Amrinder Singh, WI
Anup Singh, WI
Baba Gurmail Singh, WI
Balbas Singh, WI
Baljinder Singh, WI
Baljinder Singh, WI
Bhupinder S. Singh, WI
Bhupinder Singh, WI
Charanjiv Singh, WI
Devinder Singh, WI
Dharmender Singh, WI
Fateh Singh, WI
Gurcharan Singh, WI
Gurmukh Singh, WI
Gurdev Singh, WI
Gurdip Singh, WI
Gurmel Singh, WI
Gurnek Singh, WI
Gurpiar Singh, WI
Gurpreet Singh, WI
Gurvinder Singh, WI
Gurvinder & Gabriela Singh, WI
Harbans Singh, WI
Harbhajan Singh, WI
Harwinder Paul Singh, WI
Jasjeet Singh, WI
Jaswant Singh, WI
Jaswinder Singh, WI
Jaswinder Singh, WI
Joga Singh, WI
Karandeep Singh, WI
Kewal Singh, WI
Kuldip Singh, WI
Kuljit Singh, WI
Kuljit Singh, WI
Lakwinder Singh, WI
Lakhbir Singh, WI
Manpreet Singh, WI
Mohan Singh, WI
Nachhatter Singh, WI
Narinder Pal Singh, WI
Naunihal Singh, WI
Palwinderpal Singh, WI
Paramjit Singh, WI
Prabjot Singh, WI
Satnam Singh, WI
Shardha Singh, WI
Sukhwinder Singh, WI
Surinder Singh, WI
Surinder Singh, WI
Dalbir Toor, WI
Surjit S. Toor, WI
Kanwal Singh Tung, WI
Alok Gupta, India
Narinder Singh, India