America@250

About

The America@250 initiative is designed to help strengthen the civic fabric of our communities by bringing people together to connect and reflect on this momentous occasion.

About the America@250 Initiative

PBS Wisconsin and partners are pleased to host America@250, a statewide initiative inspired by THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, a series on America’s founding struggle produced by Florentine Films and WETA Washington, DC, and directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. In the run up to July 4, 2026, PBS Wisconsin and partners will share resources to help Wisconsin communities connect and reflect on themes from the American Revolution Era – freedom, democracy, and service – that still resonate today.

Through the America@250 Initiative, PBS Wisconsin and partners are providing $500 grants, discussion guides with questions and video clips from THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, and other resources for community conversations. Join us for community screenings of THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION at various locations around the state. Along the way we’ll be capturing perspectives on America@250 and sharing them on our platforms.

America@250 Partners

Wisconsin Historical Society logo with a bold “W” and the word “History” on a ribbon, above the full organization name in stacked serif text.

The Wisconsin Historical Society is a state agency and membership organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of Wisconsin and North America. It’s one of the oldest, largest, and most active historical societies in the nation. With a vast collection of 290 million items, it plays a crucial role in connecting people to the past through its museums, library, archives, and various outreach programs.

Wisconsin Veterans Museum logo with shield showing “WVM,” stars, and red stripes next to the museum name in bold blue text.

The Wisconsin Veterans Museum, located in downtown Madison on the Capitol Square, is an educational institution dedicated to recognizing, commemorating, and affirming the role of Wisconsin veterans in the United States military, past and present. It serves as a Smithsonian Affiliate and an educational component of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. The museum offers free admission and features exhibits spanning from the Civil War to present-day conflicts, including the War on Terror.

University of Wisconsin–Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies logo with crest and text from the School of Human Ecology.

The Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies is a center for community-engaged teaching, research, and outreach at UW-Madison. The center is home to the Civic Health of Wisconsin Initiative, a non-partisan initiative which informs, promotes, and supports civic health efforts across Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Public Radio is a network of 39 public radio stations serving the state of Wisconsin. It offers two distinct networks: WPR News and WPR Music. WPR is known for its local, national, and international news coverage, as well as its diverse music programming, including classical, jazz, world, and folk music. Along with PBS Wisconsin, Wisconsin Public radio is a service of the Educational Communications Board and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

America@250 Supporters

PBS America @ 250 logo with bold red and blue text and numbers, marking the 250th anniversary.

PBS America@250 is a multiyear celebration of U.S. history, culture, and children’s programming. 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 nationwide events. From June 27 through July 4, 2026, PBS will showcase a collection of its programming during a special week commemorating this important milestone.

America 250 logo featuring a U.S. flag backdrop with a blue Wisconsin state outline labeled “WI” in the center.

The American250 Wisconsin Commission is the state-level partner for the national America250 commission, which aims to deepen understanding of our history, democratic process, and each other through education, increase engagement in our communities and governing affairs, and foster unity that includes the “many’” Americans in our “one” nation.

About THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

The American Revolution was at once a war for independence, a war of conquest, a civil war, and a world war, fought by neighbors on American farms and between global powers an ocean or more away. It impacted millions from Vermont’s Green Mountains to the swamps of South Carolina, from Indian Country to the Iberian Peninsula. In defeating the British Empire and giving birth to a new nation, the American Revolution turned the world upside down. Thirteen colonies on the Atlantic Coast united in rebellion, won their independence, and established a republic that still endures. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, our six-part, twelve-hour series on America’s founding struggle, will present the story of the men and women of the Revolutionary generation, their humanity in victory and defeat, and the crisis that they lived through. By weaving together accounts of American political leaders and their British counterparts with the perspectives of the so-called “ordinary people” who waged and witnessed war, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION will be an expansive, evenhanded look at the virtues and the contradictions in the fight for independence and the birth of the United States.

Funding for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

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.