{"id":2055616,"date":"2025-09-28T12:59:09","date_gmt":"2025-09-28T12:59:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2055616"},"modified":"2025-09-28T12:59:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-28T12:59:09","slug":"ken-burns-gives-detroit-audience-a-sneak-peek-at-new-pbs-series-the-american-revolution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/ken-burns-gives-detroit-audience-a-sneak-peek-at-new-pbs-series-the-american-revolution\/","title":{"rendered":"Ken Burns gives Detroit audience a sneak peek at new PBS series &#8216;The American Revolution&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Ken Burns, the preeminent documentary filmmaker of his generation, knows how to captivate audiences, whether it&#8217;s with history or a quip.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">When he told hundreds of fans at a Wayne State University auditorium on Sept. 26 that the doors were being locked for a screening of all 12 hours of his latest project, he earned an appreciative laugh.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cYou must be so relieved that you don\u2019t have to watch until 7 tomorrow morning,\u201d he said just before the lights went down for an hour of clips from the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/kenburns\/the-american-revolution\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:\u201cThe American Revolution\u201d documentary series;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">\u201cThe American Revolution\u201d documentary series <\/a>that premieres on PBS in November.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Documentary maker Ken Burns spoke to a Wayne State University crowd about his new PBS series, &#8220;The American Revolution,&#8221; on Sept. 26, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Burns, who grew up in Ann Arbor, was in Detroit as part of a national tour to introduce the six-episode documentary series that he directed with Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. Friday night&#8217;s event was hosted by Detroit PBS.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cThe American Revolution\u201d tells the story of the war for independence fought by 13 British colonies seeking to establish a united government \u2014 a complex quest that would become an epic historical moment and influence democratic movements through the centuries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\"><strong>More: <\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/tv\/articles\/amy-andrews-back-fox-2-181204502.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Amy Andrews back on Fox 2 after medical leave, says supportive viewers are 'like family';elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">Amy Andrews back on Fox 2 after medical leave, says supportive viewers are &#8216;like family&#8217;<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The docuseries adds a rich layer of context by following the lives of numerous people from different backgrounds, not just politicians and solders but also Native Americans, enslaved and free African Americans, European foes and allies, and more. <\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Their real-life memories are drawn from sources like letters and diaries and voiced by an all-star cast that includes southeast Michigan\u2019s Jeff Daniels,\u00a0who narrates the words of Thomas Jefferson.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In his opening remarks, Burns acknowledged with regret that this would be his last film underwritten by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/politics\/2025\/08\/01\/corporation-for-public-broadcasting-shutting-down\/85477601007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:which is shutting down;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">which is shutting down <\/a>as the result of the spending clawback\u00a0requested by President Donald Trump and passed by Congress that eliminated federal funding for the CPB.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><span class=\"exclude-from-newsgate\"><strong>More: <\/strong><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/tv\/articles\/medical-drama-doc-returns-fox-120204962.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Medical drama 'Doc' returns to Fox with a second season of comfort viewing;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">Medical drama &#8216;Doc&#8217; returns to Fox with a second season of comfort viewing<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">After the sneak preview, Burns joined Botstein and historian Kathleen DuVal (who appears in the series) for a discussion led by \u201cAmerican Black Journal\u201d host and \u201cOne Detroit\u201d contributor Stephen Henderson.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Journalist Stephen Henderson, left, documentary maker Ken Burns, co-director Sarah Botstein and historian Kathleen DuVal were part of a panel discussion about Burns' new documentary series, &quot;The American Revolution,&quot; at Wayne State University on Sept. 26, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/ye2oopHCyy.qowYFoGervA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/detroit-free-press\/61a2887946edc645ef7b50dc828fd9df\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Journalist Stephen Henderson, left, documentary maker Ken Burns, co-director Sarah Botstein and historian Kathleen DuVal were part of a panel discussion about Burns&#8217; new documentary series, &#8220;The American Revolution,&#8221; at Wayne State University on Sept. 26, 2025.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Burns shared that there is a neon sign in his editing room that says, \u201cIt\u2019s complicated.\u201d He talked about wanting to deliver a narrative that would honor &#8220;the complexity of not only the story (and) the storytellers but also the audience and treat them with the kind of intelligence that they so clearly have.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Burns didn\u2019t delve into the divisive nature of contemporary America, but did say \u201cit might be helpful to go back to the beginning\u201d and understand more about the origins of the nation and wide range of people who were part of the history of the revolution.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cWe are hoping that this film could help put the us back in the U.S.,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Discussing the decade-long process of making \u201cThe American Revolution,\u201d Botstein joked that it is \u201cthe shortest big film I\u2019ve ever worked on,\u201d referring to her collaborations with Burns on projects like \u201cThe Vietnam War,\u201d an 18-hour series,\u201d and \u201cJazz,\u201d which ran 19 hours.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/nothing-left-cut-michigan-public-120142636.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Embedded content: https:\/\/www.freep.com\/story\/entertainment\/television\/2025\/08\/06\/michigan-public-tv-detroit-pbs-radio-stations-funding-trump-budget-cuts\/85513289007\/;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\"> <span class=\"oembed-link-desc\">Embedded content: https:\/\/www.freep.com\/story\/entertainment\/television\/2025\/08\/06\/michigan-public-tv-detroit-pbs-radio-stations-funding-trump-budget-cuts\/85513289007\/<\/span>  <\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">DuVal spoke about how, over the 50 years since the 1976 bicentennial celebrations, historians have been \u201ctaking what used to, too often, be a narrow story of the American Revolution and broadening it out, saying, &#8220;What do all different kinds of men, women and even teenagers and children think about the revolution, do in the revolution, hope to get out of the revolution.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Seeing how the docuseries put all of that scholarship and research into an immersive experience felt \u201calmost miraculous,\u201d said DuVal, who won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in history for her book \u201cNative Nations: A Millennium in North America.\u201d <\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>For more information on &#8220;The American Revolution&#8221; for viewers and classrooms, go to the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/kenburns\/the-american-revolution\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:PBS.org;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">PBS.org<\/a> page on the docuseries and the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.detroitpbs.org\/about\/media-releases\/detroit-pbs-celebrates-americas-250th-birthday-all-year-long-with-powerful-storytelling-and-special-programming-that-highlight-detroits-role-in-molding-our-nation-and-inspire-our-pat\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Detroit PBS;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Detroit PBS <\/a>page on America&#8217;s 250th birthday.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds at jhinds@freepress.com.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.freep.com\/story\/entertainment\/television\/2025\/09\/28\/ken-burns-detroit-new-history-series-the-american-revolution\/86392258007\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Ken Burns gives Detroit audience a sneak peek at new history series;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Ken Burns gives Detroit audience a sneak peek at new history series<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ken Burns, the preeminent documentary filmmaker of his generation, knows how to captivate audiences, whether it&#8217;s with history or a quip. When he told hundreds of fans at a Wayne State University auditorium on Sept. 26 that the doors were being locked for a screening of all 12 hours of his latest project, he earned [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2055617,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[382390,382393,23427,382392,355180,324981,354420,382391,382389],"class_list":["post-2055616","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-american-revolution","tag-david-schmidt","tag-detroit","tag-detroit-pbs","tag-documentary-filmmaker","tag-documentary-series","tag-ken-burns","tag-sarah-botstein","tag-wayne-state-university"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Ken-Burns-gives-Detroit-audience-a-sneak-peek-at-new.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2055616","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2055616"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2055616\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2055617"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2055616"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2055616"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2055616"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}