Acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns premiered his latest documentary series, “The American Revolution,” at George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate on October 29, 2025. The event included a panel discussion where Burns, alongside co-director Sarah Botstein, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Rick Atkinson, and retired Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, examined the pivotal moments of the American Revolutionary War and the legacy of George Washington.
The six-part series, set to air on PBS nightly from November 16 to 21, aims to remind viewers of the core American ideals, avoiding overt political commentary. Burns emphasized the importance of narrative discipline, stating, “The discipline of telling a good story is to not build edifices that point at how contemporary these lessons are, but to just tell a good story.”
Gen. Dunford highlighted the founders’ intention to maintain political neutrality within the military, citing it as a vital principle that remains relevant today. “The single biggest mitigator of that risk is this idea of non-partisanship in civilian control of the military,” he noted, reflecting on the concerns surrounding standing armies.
In the discussion of Washington’s character, Burns acknowledged the complexities and flaws of the founding father. He remarked on Washington’s tactical blunders and the ethical contradictions of owning slaves while leading a fight for liberty, stating, “Not only are there really bad tactical mistakes, there’s the rashness of riding out on the battlefield … and he owns hundreds of human beings.”
Botstein reinforced the documentary’s educational value, asserting that understanding history is essential for shaping a hopeful future. “These are really instructive, exciting, inspiring, useful stories to understand who we are as a people, good, bad, and ugly,” she said.
The premiere and discussion not only spotlighted significant historical narratives but also served as a platform for reflection on the ongoing relevance of these themes in today’s society, encouraging a broader understanding of American values through a historical lens.