NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025
“From a small spark kindled in America, a flame has arisen, not to be extinguished,” wrote Thomas Paine. Now Ken Burns’ much-anticipated film examines how the American Revolution ignited a movement for people around the world to imagine new and better futures for themselves, for their nations, and for humanity. It opened the door to advance civil liberties and human rights, and it asked questions that we are still trying to answer today. “The American Revolution has always been surrounded by myth that keeps us from seeing the real picture,” says Ken Burns. “The story of the birth of this country is at once devastating and inspiring. It was a bloody civil war that divided families and communities, displaced native nations, both challenged and protected the institution of slavery, while also proclaiming the noblest aspirations of humankind.” Viewers will be immersed in the beauty and diversity of the North American landscape. Cinematographers shot in every season over the course of several years, at nearly a hundred locations, within and beyond the original 13 colonies. This includes Colonial Williamsburg, Fort Ticonderoga, Valley Forge National Historical Park, the South Carolina backcountry, and overseas in London. Told over six consecutive nights, the 12-hour documentary delves into the remarkable stories of the people who lived through the Revolution. Featuring the voices of a stellar cast of actors including Tom Hanks, Samuel L. Jackson, Laura Linney, and narrator Peter Coyote, the film brings to life the everyday concerns, hopes, fears, and failings of nearly 200 historic figures.
Like all of Ken Burns’ work, this production can only be experienced on PBS. “I have spent my entire professional life making films that are broadcast on PBS and stream on PBS services. I believe in its mission. I couldn’t have made my films anywhere else.” Public broadcasting offers the creative freedom to undertake the deep dives into complex subjects, meticulous research, and storytelling that define Burns’ work. Watch beginning Sunday, November 16 through Friday, November 21 at 8:00 p.m. on WVPB.
A More Perfect Union Inspiring Civic & Civil Conversations Across America
Accompanying The American Revolution, this one-hour special will follow the November 2025 premiere of Ken Burns’ new series. Taped at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, A More Perfect Union will examine the ways people think about America’s founding and how the ideas and values articulated 250 years ago remain relevant to conversations about governance today. Our aim is to inspire and unite Americans through a renewed civic conversation rooted in the founders’ original principles within the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the visionary American idea. Filmmaker Ken Burns, National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen, and others will explore essential themes such as liberty, equality, democracy, separation of powers, and civil rights. Watch Monday, November 24 at 9:00 p.m. on WVPB.