Ken Burns at Brown: History, humanity and the pursuit of happiness

For just about anyone who has grown up in the United States, Ken Burns has taught them something. The acclaimed documentarian has spent nearly 50 years serving as the nation’s unofficial historian, providing earnest, emotional insights into people and places that shaped the country — from Gettysburg’s battlefields to Cooperstown’s dugouts to New Orleans’ jazz clubs.

At a sold-out Family Weekend forum on Friday night in the Salomon Center for Teaching , the Brown community got a first look at Burns’ newest project, “The American Revolution.” The event was part of Brown 2026, a campus-wide initiative marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. and the role of universities in advancing open, democratic societies.

Ten years in the making, the forthcoming documentary series examines the ideals and internal contradictions that defined the nation’s founding.

“I’ve had the great privilege of making films about the U.S… but I’ve also realized that I’ve made films about us — the intimacy of us and we and our,” Burns said. “That has been as much the mission of our films as the larger majesties, contradictions, complexities and even controversies of the story of our nation.”

Following the screening — which featured excerpts from the six-part series that will air on PBS this fall —University President Christina H. Paxson joined Burns for a conversation anchored by questions from Brown historians, including Professor Emeritus of History Gordon Wood, who appears in the documentary.

In answering a question from Associate Professor of History Linford Fisher on what lessons the American Revolution holds for today’s political climate, Burns said that the era was “a lot more divided back then than we are right now” and urged the audience to view its history not as distant, but as a mirror for the present. 

“It offers a chance for everybody to connect with this story wherever they’re from… and realize just how much we’re distracted by the emphasis on our differences, rather than what we have in common,” he said. 

That spirit of reflection, Burns said, extends beyond history itself to the unfinished nature of the American experiment.

“It echoes this sense of [America] as an action word,” he said. “We’re in pursuit. We’re always trying to define happiness, and I would argue it’s not material wealth, but lifelong learning. I like this idea of becoming — that we are a process that is not finished. That makes me happy.”

A culture of openness, curiosity and dialogue at Brown

Learning to listen. Having the courage to be wrong. Staying open to ideas that challenge long-held beliefs. These are the kinds of skills Brown University students cultivate in classrooms and across campus — and that’s no accident. 

“It takes a lot of thoughtful planning and intentional and deep reflection,” said Joie Forte, senior associate dean and director of student activities.

At a Family Weekend forum hosted Friday by the Division of Campus Life, Vice President Patricia Poitevien led a discussion with directors from Residential Life, the LGBTQ Center, Student Activities and other offices on how Brown equips students to engage across differences — a longstanding priority with renewed focus this year after the launch of the Discovery Through Dialogue initiative in Spring 2025. 

“Part of being courageous with curiosity is understanding when we make mistakes,” said Scott Helfrich, director of residential education. “It moves us into an uncomfortable space if we’re doing it right. Brown, in each of our offices, provides that scaffolding around students to let them choose how they engage with one another.” 

Panelists discussed programs like the Community Dialogue Project, affinity groups, resource centers and peer workshops that help students feel a strong sense of belonging long after New Student Orientation wraps up. 

Crucially, the same values that guide Brown’s academic culture also shape the University’s social fabric, said Mary Jordan, director of new student programs and community initiatives. 

“These values — bridging disciplines and perspectives — are the perfect social complement to what is required to be successful in the Open Curriculum,” Jordan said. “Those require the same dialogue skills of listening, synthesizing and being willing to make new connections.”