Khizr Khan on love, loss and the Constitution
Khizr Khan is an American citizen of Pakistani descent. He is perhaps most famous for the fact that he carries a copy of the U.S. Constitution in his breast pocket and for a speech he gave at the Democratic National Convention in 2016.
Khan stood on stage that night with his wife, Ghazala Khan, and talked about his son, Captain Humayun Khan, who was killed in action in Iraq in 2004. He talked about the Constitution and he talked about presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Khan was raised in Pakistan, the eldest son of a poor family with ten children. He did well in school and ultimately took advantage of a chance to immigrate to the United States in 1980. He earned a Masters of Law degree from Harvard in 1986.
Khizr Khan tells his life story in “An American Family: A Memoir of Hope and Sacrifice.” He talked about his life before and since his famous convention speech at Seattle University’s Campion Ballroom on December 8. Crosscut managing editor Florangela Davila joined him on stage. Jennie Cecil Moore recorded the conversation.
Listen to the full version below:
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John O'Brien
Senior Producer, All Things Considered
John O’Brien is KUOW's All Things Considered Senior Producer. He spends his days setting up interviews with newsmakers on subjects from politics and public health to arts and culture. John learned to make radio starting in 2006 as an intern on KUOW’s The Conversation with Ross Reynolds.
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