Learned Hand's "Spirit of Liberty" (1944)
I Am An American Day was first designated by Congress in 1940 to be celebrated on the third Sunday of May, but was later moved in 1952 to September 17 and renamed Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. Learned Hand's "Spirit of Liberty" speech was delivered on May 21, 1944 at an event in New York City's Central Park. With the world still in the middle of a war, the speech reaffirmed the country's faith that freedom is worth fighting for. The overall tone is uplifting. It starts by recognizing the physical gathering of the audience, and ends by uniting everyone in a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
E-text available here.