Who is your greatest American?

Who will you decide is the greatest American ever?

As part of a unique BBC-led global debate about the USA's place in the world, we want you to nominate your greatest American ever.

Who do you think was the most important and influential American throughout history?

Who did more to shape America's destiny or spread the US's influence across the globe?

Your nominees can be from the distant past or a living legend. This is a public nomination and it's up to you who makes it to the final shortlist, so tell us who you think deserves to win.

You can nominate anyone from any field, from George Washington to Muhammad Ali, Thomas Jefferson to Martin Luther King, Billie Holliday to Oprah Winfrey, Thomas Edison to President Franklin D Roosevelt.

Just fill in the e-mail form on the right-hand side of this page. Nominations close at 1400 BST on Tuesday, 10 June, 2003. So start nominating NOW.

We will publish a shortlist of the 10 Americans who received the most nominations on the morning of Wednesday, 11 June, 2003.

Make sure you return to this website then to cast your final votes on who you - the public - decide is the greatest American to have ever lived.

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What The World Thinks of America will be broadcast in the UK on BBC Two at 2100 BST on Tuesday, 17 June, 2003.

You can also watch the programme from this website.

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