America 250
America250 — formally the United States Semiquincentennial — is the nationwide commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The milestone will be celebrated in 2026 through a multi-year initiative led by the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, in partnership with states, cities, cultural institutions, and community organizations.
The American Revolution:Thirteen American colonies unite in rebellion, win an eight-year war to secure their independence, and establish a new form of government that would inspire democratic movements at home and around the globe.
The American Buffalo: The dramatic story of America’s national mammal, which sustained the lives of Native people for untold generations, being driven to the brink of extinction, before an unlikely collection of people rescues it from disappearing forever.
The U.S. and The Holocaust: Inspired in part by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum’s “Americans and the Holocaust” exhibition and supported by its historical resources, The U.S. and the Holocaust examines the rise of Hitler and Nazism in Germany in the context of global antisemitism and racism, the eugenics movement in the United States and race laws in the American south.
Benjamin Franklin: Explores the revolutionary life of one of the 18th century's most consequential and compelling personalities, whose work and words unlocked the mystery of electricity and helped create the United States.
The Vietnam War: In an immersive 360-degree narrative, Burns and Novick tell the epic story of the Vietnam War as it has never before been told on film. The Vietnam War features testimony from nearly 100 witnesses.
The Roosevelts: Chronicle the lives of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, three members of the most prominent and influential family in American politics.
The National Parks: America's Best Idea: Filmed over the course of more than six years at some of nature's most spectacular locales, the film is a story of people from every conceivable background who were willing to devote themselves to saving some precious portion of the land they loved and in doing so reminded their fellow citizens of the full meaning of democracy.
The War: The story of the Second World War through the personal accounts of a handful of men and women from four American towns. The war touched the lives of every family on every street in every town in America and demonstrated that in extraordinary times, there are no ordinary lives.
Thomas Jefferson: Thomas Jefferson embodies within his own life the most profound contradictions of American history: as the author of the Declaration of Independence, he gave voice to our fervent desire for freedom, but he also enslaved more than 150 people and never saw fit to free them.
The Civil War: Between 1861 and 1865, Americans made war on each other and killed each other in great numbers if only to become the kind of country that could no longer conceive of how that was possible. What began as a bitter dispute over Union and States' Rights, ended as a struggle over the meaning of freedom in America.
The Congress: For 200 years, the United States Congress has been one of the country's most important and least understood institutions. Using historical photographs and newsreels, evocative live footage and interviews, Ken Burns chronicles the events that have shaped the first 200 years of congress and, in turn, our country.
The Statue of Liberty: This 1985 film chronicles the creation and history of the Statue of Liberty and what it represents to all Americans. Narrated by David McCullough, the film traces the development of the monument from conception, to its complicated and often controversial construction, to its final dedication.
The Presidents Collection: Explore documentaries, biographies, interviews, articles, image galleries and more for an in-depth look at the history of the American presidency.
Civil Rights Collection: A selection of award-winning films, along with articles, digital shorts and original features exploring America’s continued struggle with race, democracy and justice.
Women in American History Collection: Explore films, interviews, articles, image galleries and more for an in-depth look at notable female figures in American history.
The African American Experience Collection: a selection of films documenting the African American Experience — along with articles, digital shorts and original features exploring America’s continued struggle with race, democracy and justice, and celebrating the contributions of Black Americans to the American story.
The Environment Collection: Since pre-colonial times, Americans' relationship to the natural world has shaped politics, policy, commerce, entertainment and culture. In this collection, delve into our complicated history with the environment through American Experience films exploring wide-ranging topics, from our struggles to exert dominion over nature to our attempts to understand and protect it.
For more than a decade, renowned Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has helped to expand America’s sense of itself, stimulating a national conversation about identity with humor, wisdom, and compassion.
Follow talented home cooks from different regions of the country as they compete weekly with their most memorable recipes. In the final week, the top three home cooks vie for a chance to win The Great American Recipe.
Explore discoveries reflecting 250 years of American art, artifacts, crafts and collectibles including a flag quilt, ca. 1880, a Tiffany Studios turtle back glass shade, ca. 1915, and an 1884 Edison light bulb. One reaches $300K. Tune in to find out which one!
James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket: The life, works and beliefs of the late writer and civil rights activist are recounted: what it is to be born black, impoverished, gifted, and gay in a world that has yet to understand that “all men are brothers.” James Baldwin tells his own story in this emotional portrait.
Bella! This Woman's Place Is in the House: Follow the meteoric rise of firebrand politician and activist Bella Abzug. Considered one of the first feminists to be elected to Congress, her commitment to women’s rights and progressive causes upended the status quo in Washington.
Moynihan: Discover the life and legacy of former U.S. Senator and diplomat Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Going beyond the “Moynihan Report,” President Joe Biden, Ta-Nehisi Coates and others reflect on his decades-long fight to end national poverty.
The Incomparable Mr. Buckley: Discover the intellectual evolution and political legacy of William F. Buckley, Jr. See how the author and commentator, one of the foremost public intellectuals in American history, galvanized the modern conservative movement.
James Beard: America's First Foodie: Today’s American food movement can be traced back to one man: cookbook author, journalist, television celebrity and teacher James Beard.