Ken Burns to Preview New Docuseries at the College of Charleston
South Carolina celebrates America’s 250 anniversary with exclusive preview of "The American Revolution," by filmmaker Ken Burns.
Above: “The Surrender of Lord Cornwallis,” 1820, by John Trumbull, depicting the surrender of the British army at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, which ended the last major campaign of the Revolutionary War.
South Carolina ETV and Public Radio (SCETV), the College of Charleston, SC250 and SC250 Charleston will welcome award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns to Charleston for an exclusive preview of the new series, The American Revolution, directed by Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt.
The special preview of The American Revolution begins at 7 p.m. on May 14 at the College of Charleston’s Sottile Theatre and will feature clips from the documentary about South Carolina’s pivotal yet often overlooked role in the war, setting the stage for an engaging conversation about the documentary’s impact.
“The College of Charleston is proud to partner with SCETV, SC250 and SC250 Charleston to host Ken Burns, his creative team and many distinguished historians and guests to discuss the importance of South Carolina and its people in the creation of our nation,” says College of Charleston President Andrew T. Hsu. “It is most fitting to have this discussion at an institution founded in 1770, a time when Americans began working collaboratively to find a new way forward.”
The sold-out event includes a screening of excerpts from the upcoming documentary airing on SCETV’s network and public television stations across the nation beginning Nov. 16. The screening will be followed by a discussion moderated by SCETV President and CEO Adrienne Fairwell with Burns, American historian Kathleen DuVal and Walter Edgar, noted South Carolina historian and host of South Carolina Public Radio’s Walter Edgar’s Journal.
“We are honored to partner with the College of Charleston, SC250 and SC250 Charleston to bring The American Revolution to South Carolina ahead of its November release,” says Fairwell. “Ken Burns and his team have once again crafted a compelling and deeply researched documentary that sheds light on the complexities of our nation’s founding. We’re excited to help celebrate the 250th anniversary of America while highlighting the significance of South Carolina’s story during the war for independence.“
Burns, widely recognized as one of the greatest documentary filmmakers of our time, has dedicated his career to chronicling the American experience through films such as The Civil War, Baseball and Jazz, as well as documentaries on national parks, the Roosevelts, Mark Twain and Jackie Robinson. Having produced films for PBS for over 25 years, he has earned numerous accolades, including Emmy and Peabody awards, with works like The Vietnam War and Country Music offering deep explorations of pivotal moments and cultural influences in American history.
“South Carolina is critical to the story of the American Revolution,“ Burns says. “It was ground zero for the Southern theater and witnessed more battles than any other state, including hugely important victories that contributed to our nation’s independence. I’m excited to visit Charleston and share some early clips from our film, as well as to meet with students who are exploring their country and community’s history.“
Burns will join event leadership for a press conference in the Cistern Yard at 11 a.m. on May 14. Following the press conference, students from Jerry Zucker Middle School in Charleston and Westwood High School in Columbia, South Carolina, will join Burns for a tour of Marion Square.
The American Revolution is a six-part, 12-hour documentary series that examines how America’s founding turned the world upside down. The much-anticipated series has been in production for eight years and was written by Burns’ longtime collaborator Geoffrey C. Ward. The filmmakers and PBS scheduled the broadcast for 2025, the 250th anniversary of the start of the war, which began in the spring of 1775, more than a year before the Declaration of Independence.
The American Revolution will premiere on Nov. 16 on ETV-HD and air at 8 p.m. for six consecutive nights through Nov. 21. The full series will also be available for streaming on PBS.org and in the PBS App.
More information on the event can be found on the SCETV website.
