The American Revolution: Telling History Through Art

Before photographs and videography, paintings and other forms of art told the story of war and independence. Join us for a special documentary preview and conversation about The American Revolution, directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt. The six-part series explores the people who lived through America’s founding struggle, their experiences over eight difficult years of wartime, and how they created a new nation where the people themselves would hold the power.

During this virtual only event, in collaboration with Drake at OLLI, we’ll examine how the filmmakers relied on period art and visual interpretation to depict the people, conflicts, and contradictions of America’s founding. The event will feature selected clips from the film, followed by a panel of historians and art experts discussing how visual storytelling shapes our understanding of the people and events that defined a nation. 

Funding Credits:
Corporate funding for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by The Better Angels Society and its members Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine with the Crimson Lion Foundation; and the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Major funding was also provided by David M. Rubenstein; The Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Family Foundation; Lilly Endowment Inc.; and the following Better Angels Society members: Eric and Wendy Schmidt; Stephen A. Schwarzman; and Kenneth C. Griffin with Griffin Catalyst. Additional support for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was provided by: The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Gilbert S. Omenn and Martha A. Darling; Park Foundation; and the following Better Angels Society members: Gilchrist and Amy Berg; Perry and Donna Golkin; The Michelson Foundation; Jacqueline B. Mars; Kissick Family Foundation; Diane and Hal Brierley; John H. N. Fisher and Jennifer Caldwell; John and Catherine Debs; The Fullerton Family Charitable Fund; Philip I. Kent; Gail Elden; Deborah and Jon Dawson; David and Susan Kreisman; The McCloskey Family Charitable Trust; Becky and Jim Morgan; Carol and Ned Spieker; Mark A. Tracy; and Paul and Shelley Whyte. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was made possible, in part, with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.