Source: Newsday
On September 21, 2001, Newsday reported "In the wake of terrorist attacks on the United States, the Ad Council is launching the campaign with hopes to curb the backlash that certain immigrant groups have faced. In the commercials, a diverse sea of faces look into the camera and say, 'I am an American.' Since the Sept. 11 attacks, hundreds of Muslims, Sikhs and other groups have
reported being harassed or assaulted. In at least one murder case, the shooting death of a turbaned gas station attendant in Phoenix, police are investigating the incident as a bias crime."
The Ad Council's mission is "to identify a select number of significant public issues and stimulate action on those issues through communications programs that make a measurable difference in our society."
Ad Council Press Release