Bashir Ahmad Visits the United States (1961)

Duration: 0:16:10

Year Published: 1961

Format: 16mm

Sound: sound

Description: During a goodwill mission to Karachi, Pakistan in 1961, then-Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson invited camel driver Bashir Ahmad, whom Johnson encountered on the side of the road, to visit the United States. Little did anyone expect that Ahmad would take the Vice President up on his offer. What followed was a most unusual state visit as Ahmad found himself personally greeted at the airport by Johnson and a curious press corps. During his week-long stay, Ahmad toured New York City, Kansas City (where he met former president Harry S. Truman), and Washington, D.C. Lady Bird Johnson accompanied him on his tour of the nation’s capital, visiting many sites such as the White House. Though Ahmad spoke no English, he reportedly consistently stunned the press and all those he encountered with his wise and humorous comments—relayed through translators. This footage captures Ahmad’s visit to the United States as he tours the nation with a wide smile, including his welcome by Johnson and a few shots of his family and camel back in Karachi.