PBS America @ 250 Marks Nation's Semiquincentennial with Expansive Programming Beginning Spring 2025 and Through 2026

ARLINGTON, VA; May 20, 2025 - PBS America @ 250 is a multiyear celebration of U.S. history, culture, and children's programming, from spring 2025 through America's Semiquincentennial in 2026 and beyond. As part of the largest national and local engagement effort in its history, PBS member stations will pay homage to the country's founding with events in more than 75 markets nationwide. In addition, next summer, from June 27 through July 4, 2026, PBS will showcase a collection of its programming during a special week commemorating this important milestone.

PBS America @ 250, which was first announced in 2024, is designed to engage the country and inspire conversation around history and civics. In addition to tentpole programming like THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION from Ken Burns and Florentine Films, PBS KIDS, PBS LearningMedia, PBS Digital Studios, and PBS member stations will explore these topics at a national and local level.

With support from The Kern Family Foundation, PBS has launched the largest education and outreach effort in its history with THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. As part of the initiative, stations are hosting screenings and discussions with the filmmakers and historians. Events have already taken place in Richmond, Williamsburg, Boston, Lexington and Concord, Charleston, Raleigh, and Atlanta, with upcoming events in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and Charlottesville to name a few. A full list of events can be found at www.pbs.org/americanrevolution.

"PBS America @ 250 is an extraordinary undertaking, made possible by the dedication of our member stations, PBS LearningMedia, PBS Digital Studios, producers, and countless others," said Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS. "I could not be prouder of the powerful content emerging from these collaborative efforts. Our nation's history deserves to be honored, and through this work, we are doing just that. PBS was made for this type of national reflection."

PBS America @ 250 programming will span across History, Music and Culture, plus programming from PBS KIDS. More titles will be announced on a rolling basis.

At the helm of the initiative is THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a new six-part, 12-hour documentary series from Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt, which explores the country's founding struggle and its eight-year War for Independence, premiering Nov. 16. A MORE PERFECT UNION: INSPIRING CIVIC & CIVIL CONVERSATIONS ACROSS AMERICA, a special from WETA in collaboration with the National Constitution Center that follows THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, examines how we think about America's founding and how the ideas and values articulated 250 years ago remain relevant to conversations about governance today. It will premiere on Nov. 24.

HANDWORK: A CRAFT IN AMERICA 250 SPECIAL, a four-part series, will celebrate 250 years of handmade artistry with the first two episodes, "East" and "West," premiering Dec. 19. Each episode is told through the hands of makers and explores ancestral traditions and modern innovation. Celebrating the significance of handcrafted objects in shaping and reflecting America's diverse cultural heritage, these episodes are one part of Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, a multi-faceted, national initiative organized by Craft in America. Exhibitions and community events will be held nationwide in collaboration with PBS member stations, and educational programs for K-12 will be available on PBS LearningMedia.

LUCY WORSLEY INVESTIGATES: THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a two-part miniseries from BBC Studios marking the Declaration of Independence's 250th anniversary, takes Lucy Worsley back on the detective trail as she uncovers why the British Empire, the most powerful in history, lost the War of Independence against a ragtag band of American rebels. This two-part special will premiere in spring 2026.

DECLARATIONS OF INDEPENDENCE, a documentary from VPM, Virginia's home for Public Media, explores the American Revolution through the eyes of free and enslaved Black people in the 1700-1800s. It will premiere in summer 2026.

GREAT PERFORMANCES "SUFFS," based on the Tony Award-winning musical created by Shaina Taub, tells the story of the passionate American women who fought for the right to vote and explores the triumphs and failures of a struggle for equality. It will premiere in spring 2026. ANTIQUES ROADSHOW's "250 Years of Americana" special episode will feature items from 1775 through today, and a journey through time via material culture. The special will premiere in summer 2026.

PBS will bring back several AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: PRESIDENTIAL PROFILES, examining the history of the American presidency, in addition to several original films. CAPITOL CONCERTS 2026 will feature a variety of well-known musical artists to celebrate America.

PBS KIDS programming will feature MAP ZAPPERS, a new series from Arkansas PBS that follows three ordinary kids who stumble across a highly anticipated museum exhibit in Washington, D.C. that contains artifacts from every U.S. state and territory. When they accidentally activate a piece of technology that teleports, or "zaps," all the artifacts back to their place of origin, the trio of friends travel across the country, recovering the lost artifacts and learning about what it means to be an American along the way.

Additional content from ongoing PBS KIDS series will be a part of the PBS America @ 250 initiative, including a special new episode from MOLLY OF DENALI, plus new civics-themed content from ROSIE'S RULES and ALMA'S WAY.

PBS America @ 250 will include an array of digital programs. ROGUE HISTORY, from PBS Digital Studios and PBS North Carolina, introduces audiences to the rebels and revolutionaries who lit the fuse 250 years ago during America's fight for independence. Season 2 will premiere on May 28, on the PBS Origins Channel.

IN THE MARGINS, from PBS Digital Studios and WHYY, reveals lesser-known figures who made huge impacts on the shape of the country and tells stories that expand our understanding of American history. Season 2 will premiere on June 25, on PBS Origins Channel.

CIVICS MADE EASY is a digital series hosted by author Ben Sheehan that explains how the American government and the U.S. Constitution work. Produced by Second Peninsula, the team behind PBS's BRIEF BUT SPECTACULAR, with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the series premieres June 26, on the PBS YouTube Channel.

As part of PBS America @ 250, PBS LearningMedia will help connect teachers and students to educational resources and learning events that draw from the broad range of new programming. Through curated, media-rich collections aligned to curriculum, PBS LearningMedia will help educators and students engage with this milestone moment in our nation's history, inviting reflection, learning, and deeper understanding of how our past continues to shape our present.

Many of the 330 public television stations are partnering with educators and a wide range of local organizations to spark meaningful conversations about the nation's founding and its evolving story.

Some examples of local Member Station activities include:

· WHYY (Philadelphia, PA) is producing THE DECLARATION'S JOURNEY, a digital series in partnership with the Museum of the American Revolution that explores untold stories behind the history and global impact of the Declaration of Independence. Additional projects include TAP ROOM REVOLUTION, a live comedy/history radio show recorded in historic Philadelphia taverns, PIGEON HISTORY, a quirky puppet-led kids' series, and THE GOOD NEIGHBOR CLUB, a civics-focused children's show supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, premiering in 2026.

· IdahoPTV (Boise, ID) will document how Idahoans celebrate the 250th anniversary through content focusing on people, communities and celebrations around the state. Amongst other new 250-themed programs, IdahoPTV will be reinventing its 1990 series on Idaho history for kids to align with Idaho's 4th-grade content standards. To explore Idaho history, IdahoPTV will premiere documentaries including the story of Sacajawea, who was born in the Salmon River country in what is now Idaho, and stories of outdoor volunteerism.

· WUCF (Orlando, FL) will produce DISHIN' DEMOCRACY, a civics-focused dinner event where Central Floridians will gather for a facilitated conversation over a meal. Local and national video content will be shown to prompt meaningful conversation. DISHIN' DEMOCRACY is part of WUCF's three-year America250 initiative and will premiere in September 2025.

· Arkansas PBS (Conway, AR) will partner with 12 stations across the country to explore historical objects and artifacts as they relate to their local communities.

· GPB (Atlanta, GA) is planning a multi-platform video series working with the Georgia Historical Society around its historical markers across the state, with a focus on American Revolutionary themes. They are also working with the Georgia Historical Society to bring back the TODAY IN GEORGIA HISTORY short video series. Their community team will be partnering with the National Archives and/or the Library of Congress to hold various events around their historic documents transcription project and working with libraries across the state for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION community screenings and time capsule projects that will engage communities to think about the future. They are working with GPB's Student Voices Collective to gather stories from students around the ideas of liberty, freedom and democracy, and more.

· GBH (Boston, MA) brings viewers a new rolling news series, FROM COLONY TO COMMONWEALTH: MASSACHUSETTS AND THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, exploring local perspectives, histories, and landmarks related to the Revolutionary War and the founding of America from across Massachusetts. GBH has also launched a new radio series featuring the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Massachusetts Historical Society on THE CULTURE SHOW called COUNTDOWN TO 2026, which focuses on the culture, the people, and the events leading up to the American Revolution. Additionally, curated content by the American Archive of Public Broadcasting (AAPB), a collaboration between GBH and the Library of Congress, will highlight pivotal moments in U.S. history and culture.

Please visit the PBS America @ 250 Explore Page at www.pbs.org/explore/pbs-america-at-250 for more program information and PBS LearningMedia resources related to this effort as they premiere.

The programs above will stream simultaneously to their premiere and can be found on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Chromecast. PBS station members will be available to view all episodes via Passport (contact your local PBS station for details). PBS KIDS content will be available on PBS stations and the PBS KIDS Channel and will stream for free on the PBS KIDS Video app, connected TV devices, pbskids.org, and more (no subscription required).

About PBS

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 36 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 16 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, 53 million viewers on YouTube, and 60 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS's broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV - including a PBS KIDS channel - and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook, Instagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on X.

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PBS KIDS believes the world is full of possibilities, and so is every child. With PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, children ages 2-8 learn lessons that last a lifetime. Across media and community-based programs, PBS KIDS sparks children's curiosity, helping them succeed in school and life. Families can stream PBS KIDS for free anytime on the PBS KIDS Video app, connected TV devices, pbskids.org and more (no subscription required). Kids can play hundreds of educational games on the PBS KIDS Games app and pbskids.org. PBS KIDS and local stations across the country support children's learning anytime, anywhere - empowering parents, caregivers, and teachers. For more information, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Facebook and Instagram.

ABOUT PBS DIGITAL STUDIOS

PBS Digital Studios produces original programming for YouTube and other digital platforms designed to engage, enlighten, and entertain online audiences. The PBS Digital Studios network has more than 30 million subscribers on YouTube, generating an average of 50 million views a month, and has acquired more than five billion lifetime views. Currently, PBS Digital Studios has over a dozen active series, including the Webby Award-winning BE SMART and CRASH COURSE, as well as popular series like TWO CENTS, EONS and PBS SPACE TIME.

About PBS LearningMedia

PBS LearningMedia, a partnership between PBS and GBH, is a transformative digital media platform for PreK-12 educators, providing free access to thousands of media-centric classroom resources from PBS member stations and esteemed partners. PBS LearningMedia delivers a dynamic mix of national and locally relevant content - including videos, interactives, lesson plans, teaching tips, and primary sources - that elevates classroom teaching and brings learning to life. Designed with teachers and subject matter experts, classroom resources are aligned to state and national standards and are compatible with the tools teachers use most, such as Google Classroom. Learn more at pbslearningmedia.org or by following PBS Teachers on Facebook or Instagram.

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