Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns will make a stop in Providence on Thursday, October 16, as part of a national tour promoting his upcoming six-part documentary series “The American Revolution.”
The visit, announced by Governor Dan McKee, Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore, and Rhode Island PBS CEO Pam Johnston, will include both daytime activities at the State House and an evening public screening at Rhode Island College.
“Rhode Island was the first colony to declare its independence from British rule,” said Governor McKee. “We are thrilled that a documentary filmmaker of Ken Burns’s caliber is telling the story of the American Revolution and Rhode Island’s pivotal role in the birth of democracy.”
Burns’s day will begin with a State House tour, where he’ll explore Rhode Island’s historical significance and learn about the state’s plans for the upcoming Semiquincentennial celebration. He’ll also participate in a private screening and discussion with local students and educators.
The public portion of the visit takes place that evening at Rhode Island College’s Roberts Hall, featuring clips from the documentary series followed by a panel discussion moderated by Rhode Island PBS and The Public’s Radio CEO Pam Johnston. Tickets for the screening are available at ripbs.org/ri250.
Providence is one of only 30 markets nationwide that Burns and his co-directors Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt will visit ahead of the documentary’s worldwide premiere on November 16. The tour is designed to spark national conversations about American history as the country approaches the 250th anniversary of its founding on July 4, 2026.
“As we look ahead to our nation’s semiquincentennial anniversary next year, I am so pleased that Rhode Island will be part of this exciting tour,” said Secretary of State Amore, who chairs the RI250 Commission.
The documentary promises an expansive look at America’s founding, examining the war through the perspectives of Continental soldiers, political leaders, British officers, Loyalists, Native Americans, enslaved and free African Americans, and civilians caught in the conflict.
According to the filmmakers, “The American Revolution” will explore how thirteen British colonies “turned the world upside-down” by winning independence and establishing a new form of government that would inspire democratic movements globally.
The series received major funding from Bank of America, The Better Angels Society, and the Blavatnik Family Foundation, among other supporters.
For Rhode Island PBS, the event reinforces the organization’s mission of bringing acclaimed programming to local audiences while highlighting the state’s rich revolutionary history.