NY World’s Fair Opens, 1939

This untitled 1939 film captures the grand opening of the New York World’s Fair on April 30th, likely featuring President Roosevelt’s speech dedicating the fair to peace and progress. Shot in color or black-and-white, it showcases the Trylon and Perisphere, opening ceremonies, and early crowds marveling at pavilions like Westinghouse and GM’s Futurama. A newsreel-style glimpse of optimism, it marks the fair’s launch amid a world on the brink of war.