Enjoy an evening of two iconic Ken Burns’ films.
The Statue of Liberty airs Friday, February 14 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app. The Congress follows at 10:30 p.m.
Burns’ 1985 film The Statue of Liberty presents a lyrical, compelling and provocative portrait of the statue. He explores both the history of America’s premier symbol and the meaning of liberty itself. Featuring rare archival photographs, paintings and drawings, readings from actual diaries, letters and newspapers of the day, the fascinating story of this universally admired monument is told. In interviews with Americans from all walks of life, including former New York governor Mario Cuomo, the late congresswoman Barbara Jordan and the late writers James Baldwin and Jerzy Kosinski, The Statue of Liberty examines the nature of liberty and the significance of the statue to American life.
Burns’ 1989 film The Congress. For 200 years, the United States Congress has been one of the country’s most important and least understood institutions. Using historical photographs and newsreels, evocative live footage and interviews, Burns chronicles the events that have shaped the first 200 years of congress and, in turn, our country.
Photo: The Statue of Liberty
Credit: Provided by PBS