Renowned Documentarian to Discuss His Latest Documentary, “The American Revolution”, and New Jersey’s Pivotal Role in Our Nation’s Founding

Tickets Now Available to the General Public

 

TRENTON, NJ - Governor Phil Murphy and Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, together with RevolutionNJ – New Jersey’s official partnership between the New Jersey Historical Commission and the nonprofit Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area commemorating America’s 250th anniversary – today announced acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns will appear live at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at 1:30 p.m. to discuss his new six-part, 12-hour documentary, The American Revolution. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will attend and introduce Burns at the event.

An Afternoon with Ken Burns will feature a sneak preview of clips from the upcoming six-part documentary series, as well as a discussion moderated by journalist Brian Williams. Burns will be joined by co-director Sarah Botstein and film advisor/historian Dr. Christopher Brown from Columbia University. The audience will include one thousand-plus students from across the state. In the morning, Burns and representatives from PBS Learning Media, the network’s education arm, will meet with teachers and students to discuss the materials that will be distributed to middle and high school teachers as part of the outreach and engagement for the film and the country’s 250th anniversary next year.

The American Revolution, available on PBS starting on November 16, 2025, examines how America’s founding turned the world upside-down, reshaped a continent, and inspired democratic movements around the globe. New Jersey, known as the “Crossroads of the American Revolution”, features prominently in the series.

“As we highlight New Jersey’s contributions to the American Revolution ahead of our nation’s 250th anniversary, it is an honor to welcome renowned documentarian Ken Burns to the Garden State for an exclusive preview of his latest project, The American Revolution,” said Governor Murphy. “This special event, hosted at the historic NJPAC and moderated by acclaimed journalist and New Jersey native Brian Williams, will be a memorable afternoon of history and storytelling. We encourage everyone — especially parents, teachers, and students — to join us on September 17th for this unique opportunity to explore our state’s rich history.”

“Hosting this event on National Constitution Day underscores the importance of history, public media, and education in maintaining our forefathers’ dream of a healthy and robust democracy,” said Lieutenant Governor Way, who oversees the New Jersey Historical Commission in her capacity as Secretary of State. “We are thrilled to welcome acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns to New Jersey and to explore the Revolutionary ideals that have made this country what it is today.”

“For the last nearly ten years, I along with my co-directors, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt and our incredible team, have been working on a six-part, 12-hour series on the American Revolution. New Jersey stands at the very center of that story, known as the crossroads of the American Revolution, it was the site of many battles and scrimmages, and played a decisive role in shaping the outcome of the war and the future of our nation,” said Ken Burns. “On Wednesday, September 17th, I'll be in Newark at NJPAC for a special afternoon event. We'll screen a sneak preview of the American Revolution, and I'll be joined in conversation by Sarah Botstein, historian Christopher Brown of Columbia University, and moderator Brian Williams. We will be joined by more than 1,000 students from every part of the state. I hope you'll come, too. Tickets are available now at njpac.org. I look forward to seeing you there.”

“For decades Ken Burns has explored the richness of American history through unforgettable films that have been used in classrooms all over the U.S.,” said Sara Cureton, executive director of the New Jersey Historical Commission. “This is why we decided to tie this event with our Revolutionary Schools programming. Our goal is to provide both students and educators with new ways to understand New Jersey’s Revolutionary history.”

“As the crossroads of the American Revolution, New Jersey experienced more battles and skirmishes during the Revolutionary War than any other state,” said Carrie Fellows, executive director of Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area. “From the Crossing of the Delaware, to the Battle of Monmouth, to the signing of the Treaty of Paris, New Jersey played a critical role in America’s War for Independence, and we look forward to having these stories shared by an esteemed documentarian.”

Nearly 50% of tickets have already been committed, primarily to students and their chaperones. In collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE), workshops will be provided to high school students from around the state on the morning of September 17, 2025. During this time, students will learn more about New Jersey’s role in the American Revolution and prepare for the afternoon’s event. Simultaneously, teachers will be invited to learn more about the programs and resources provided by RevolutionNJ and PBS Learning Media to bring instruction about our nation’s 250th anniversary to their classrooms.

Tickets to the afternoon event are now available to the general public. An optional luncheon with Ken Burns will precede the event for an additional cost. For more information about tickets and pricing, visit: https://www.njpac.org/event/an-afternoon-with-ken-burns/.

Burns has produced some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made, with over 40 films ranging from topics such as baseball to The Civil War to the life of Leonardo da Vinci. His films have been honored with dozens of major awards, including 17 Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Oscar nominations.

The much-anticipated series, which has been in production for eight years, was directed and produced by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt and written by 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 examines how 13 British colonies on the Atlantic Coast rose in rebellion, won their independence, and established a new form of government that radically reshaped the continent and inspired centuries of democratic movements around the globe.

The film will premiere on Sunday, November 16, 2025, and air for six consecutive nights through Friday, November 21, 2025, on PBS stations nationally. The full series will be available to stream beginning Sunday, November 16, 2025, at PBS.org and on the PBS App.

Members of the media wishing to cover the event are asked to RSVP to Rachel Thimke (Rachel.Thimke@sos.nj.gov) by Friday, September 12, 2025.

About RevolutionNJ
Created through state legislation in 2018, RevolutionNJ is a partnership between the New Jersey Historical Commission (NJHC), a division of the New Jersey Department of State, and the nonprofit Crossroads of the American Revolution Association to plan the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution in New Jersey. For more information on RevolutionNJ, visit https://www.revnj.org/.