Happy birthday to us.

As America celebrates its 250th birthday, we look at a new Ken Burns documentary airing here on Wqpt and take a look at how we look at history in the cities.

Over the next few months, we'll hear much about the history of America.

Not only the country we were and how it was founded, but who we are now and moving forward.

Coming up in January, Wqpt will air the latest Ken Burns documentary called The American Revolution, a six part, 12 hour journey that looks at the founding of this country.

And coming up Thursday, September 25th.

Wqpt will hold three screenings with a panel of historians to talk about the American Revolution.

Those screenings will be held at the Hallberg Museum in Rock Island, the Putnam Museum in Davenport, and Moline High School.

What can we expect from the Ken Burns documentary, and how do we honestly tell the story of the founding of the United States?

We talked with Wqpt Director of outreach Melissa Gravatt and Putnam Museum's curator of History, Christina Castell.

So, Melissa, I mean, a Ken Burns documentary has a certain gravitas to it.

And this this particular one is about the American Revolution.

Yes.

So it is.

We will have it on air in January of 2026.

But yes, as we know with many of his documentaries, he really tells a expansive story and tries to pull in as many perspectives as possible.

And when you say, I think that's interesting, pulling as many perspectives as possible in a way, when when you're having your screenings that are coming up, you're trying to do the same.

Absolutely.

So in September, to promote the documentary, we are hosting some screening events, here in the Quad Cities.

We will be partnering with the Hopper Museum in Rock Island, Moline High School in Moline, and then the Putnam Museum in Davenport.

And and during those events, we will show excerpts from the documentary and then invite local and regional historians, to discuss content of the documentary as well as make connections to local history.

And, Christina, you are on the panel.

And of course, it is also being, screened at the Putnam American history is got to be part of the passions for you.

It is I'm an anthropologist, so I look at American history as a cultural, entity rather than just history.

I want to know about the people's role.

You know, what what have we contributed to history in this region?

And let's talk about that because, I mean, when it comes to to history, you just think of these guys with, powdered wigs and stuff like that one, or the muskets and the farmers that were defending their land.

I mean, the American Revolution, there's so many different aspects to it.

Culturally as well as, socially and personally.

Yes.

That's right.

There are some great stories, and we actually participated in the Quad City region in one of those revolutionary stories.

And that was the burning of the, Sauk and Fox Village.

Sauk.

Enock.

And as a matter of fact, among the panelists is going to be a member of the Meskwaki tribe.

Yep.

Jonathan Buffalo.

The historical preservation director of the Meskwaki tribe will be joining us for that panel, as well as Christina.

I'm Julie Nelson from the Harvard Museum.

And you'll Dahlstrom, local historian, who we've had on this program as well.

But before we get much further into this, I do want to show at least a little bit of a clip of the American Revolution.

It's the Ken Burns documentary you'll see here in January.

From a small spark kindled in America, a flame has arisen.

Not to be extinguished.

We think about independence movements of the 20th century.

You always recognize the fact the United States actually started that.

The American Revolutionary movement served as a model for freedom from oppression.

America is predicated on an idea that tells us who we are, where we came from, and what our forebears were willing to die for.

Collins said no taxation without representation.

The fear was, if we give in to this precedent, what will they do in the future?

Crisis changes people.

It gave different people different ideas about what they should be doing.

That gave them a space to make this democracy real.

The founders thought, we can start over again.

We can begin the world anew.

The British objective is to suppress the rebellion.

Force them to acknowledge the authority of the King.

Washington understands the war he's fighting.

He doesn't have to win.

He only has not to lose.

He becomes quite eloquent in trying to persuade people.

We're all Americans.

We see regiments with individuals who are not carrying arms doing essential labor, including women.

They are at the forefront of this movement.

One of the most remarkable aspects is that you had such different places come together as one nation in mushrooms, into a global campaign that touches Europe and all parts of the world.

It's so excites us that we are the product of a revolutionary moment where the world turned upside down.

To believe in America is to believe in possibility.

So Christina, let me ask you this.

Does it ever surprise you how little Americans know about their own history?

It does.

You wonder sometimes whether people slept through history classes or was or, you know, just simply forgot it.

You know, we all forget stuff as it goes on, and depending upon how important it is to us.

And I think that history can be so engaging by storytelling.

And that's what the Putnam tries to do with their exhibits, is to tell the stories of the people who contributed to history making.

Well, in this documentary comes at a time when America is going to be celebrating its 250th birthday in 2026.

I mean, the timing is not by coincidence.

It is definitely planned.

It is part of an ongoing effort by Wqpt and PBS, to to really celebrate America's 250th.

Correct.

So we're joining that national initiative.

But we're bringing it, of course, locally here.

And we are, as we already mentioned, hosting the, documentary screenings and discussion panels.

We're also offering a new initiative that we're calling volunteer with Egypt.

So thinking about history, past, present and future, of course.

And ways that we can show civic engagement.

And so we will be out in the community as members of the staff of Wqpt, but we're also inviting community members to join us at different volunteer events through 2025 and 2026.

And these events do what I mean when you when you think you're volunteering, how do you mean that?

So, for example, this Saturday we'll be at Nest Cafe in Rock Island, which is a pay what you can, model restaurant, which is a great community resource.

And and partner in September will be joining chic closet to closet, which is a, organization that provides clothing and other materials and resources for foster families.

So we'll go and just kind of help out for a few hours there.

In October, community members can join us for our event, Imagination Station, which needs lots of volunteers.

And then we're planning in December to volunteer at Riverbend Food Bank.

So again, amazing essential community organizations, that are already doing amazing work.

We're just, joining them in their work for, for a day.

And, and then inviting community members, viewers of ours to join us.

And I think it's great because that's a grassroots thing.

And getting back to the Putnam to and you talk about some of the grass roots look at history.

I think of common ground.

It's such a huge.

And please explain it to our audience.

It is such a huge undertaking.

That is continually changing.

And I love that the Putnam is trying to, get everybody's voice in history here.

Yes.

And that is such a good example of community, curation.

Really?

In that one, we asked at least 20 people to come in and curate a part of that exhibit.

So, I always like to use, the sports section.

I don't understand sports very much.

And I'm not very familiar with the history of Quad City sports.

So let's bring in an expert who's going to tell that story and recommend, you know, the most important Quad City stories to tell.

So we did it because you kind of look at history right now.

It isn't just like a couple people designing it.

Or is it?

Because let's be honest.

History is the interpretation of the person who presents it.

And you can get different views of history very easily by different presenters.

That's true.

But we look at history as facts.

There are facts in history.

We present the facts.

What you make out of it is, you know, your decision is that part of what's good.

You know what I mean?

Is that since.

Since we're a tapestry, since we're a fabric of so many different types of people that that you do take a look at it and say, well, okay, I agree with this or oh no, I don't.

Yeah, exactly.

One of the things that museums like to do is invite conversation, and you can best do that through exhibits.

We loved having, the race.

Are we so different exhibit because we did discussion circles with the community for that.

So not only did people come in and see that exhibit, but we invited them to sit down and have a conversation together about it.

That's how we learn.

And also, I mean, when you think of history, once again, you're looking back.

But I mean, I think in some ways, the Putnam is trying to look forward as well.

Is that you interpret the history and how do you go from here?

Is that kind of a key?

Is that you learn from history and you move on?

Yes it is.

Which is, you know why I look at history as facts?

Because, if we don't, if we gloss over the past and make it all sweet and beautiful, we're not learning from history.

And you've got to understand the facts of history to be able to learn for the future so that we can grow, and prevent things that are considered disasters from happening again.

But as you well know right now, in our culture, in our in our politics, it's very controversial to talk about history of all things.

I know that's interesting, isn't it?

But the Putnam will continue to do our job.

And present the facts of history and, you know, invite people to come in and if they want to comment, we've got a place where they can make comments so.

Well, and the Ken Burns documentary on PBS and on Wqpt.

I mean, that kind of dovetails as well.

For the role of a local PBS station is to inform and to give different viewpoints.

Absolutely.

So promoting, a documentary like that or other, even our local documentaries that we've produced, you know, telling local stories like, like, like Christina was explaining, so that we do get a full picture of things that have happened.

You've seen, parts of the Ken Burns documentary.

And like I said, it is a sweeping, what, six part, 12 hour, documentary.

What was your takeaway?

I like that from from the parts that we've been able to see so far.

You know, again, just telling different perspectives, like telling different stories.

So that all voices from the, from the past are heard and, you know, using a lot of primary source documents and true, real stories and real life experiences from people from all different backgrounds at that time.

And we were talking about getting people involved in history and talking and Putnam Scott.

I love I love what you call it, history on tap.

September 18th you'll be talking about women innovators.

September 20th is, the Devonport civil rights bike ride.

The key to history and the key to what Putnam is doing is engaging people.

Yes.

That's true.

I actually I'm doing the one about, the women innovators and that's.

It was so fascinating to do the research on this, because women innovators are such a small group of the total of the innovators in the U.S., but it's a growing group.

So it's nice to see this growing trend.

And tell me a little bit about, the ongoing, history on tap.

I mean, the point is, is to get a discussion going.

It is?

Yeah.

Again, it's telling those stories.

One little snippet at a time.

And we intend to it started out as a project connected to common ground to delve into each of those sections and have one of those specialists, the community specialists, tell a little bit more about what they did.

But it has grown and it's now something that we're going to continue long beyond, common ground.

Well, and you've been with the Putnam for a while, and I, it used to be that museums.

Here's your exhibit.

This is history.

This is, you know, just walk through it and you'll be fine.

Keep getting back to the fact that the Putnam is really trying to engage people, and to open discussions.

And let's be honest.

History changes, and interpretations change.

They do.

Absolutely.

The way in history really doesn't change unless we add new facts into it.

And that does happen all the time.

And then interpretation will change.

You know, there's no I think this represent this and such.

Sure.

But, you know, a time also kind of softens the edges of American history at time, you know?

That's true.

I mean, when you when you think of some episodes in American history, I mean, we've had some rough spots.

Yes.

We have.

And those emotional voices also are something that we want to capture, which is why we have an oral history project.

So, for example, this fall, we're going out to talk to about 20 people, representing the African American and the, Islamic Quad Cities residential, individuals.

Because in the spring, we're going to be doing an exhibit called Islam in the Quad Cities.

So and that's just part of what you're what you're doing.

You were mentioning to me, off camera before is that, in 2026, you'll be taking a look at at treaties?

Yes.

And a lot of people just think, wow, that's boring.

So.

But but treaties have changed.

Not only the boundaries of America, but America itself.

That's true.

And, this project that we're working on is in conjunction with the, American Indian Museum, the Smithsonian's American Indian Museum.

Who is going to tell a national story about treaties?

And then we'll, take up with the local story, specifically the 1832 treaty, which is called the Black Hawk Treaty, right after the Black Hawk War.

Basically, the government said to the Sauk and Fox nations.

We spent a lot of money on this war, so you need to pay us back now.

So we'll just take the land on the, western side of the Mississippi River.

So they were forced to sign this treaty, which actually gave up the land which the Putnam Museum isn't.

So, it's very interesting story, but it's not just the 32 treaty.

If you just look at the treaty, then it's boring.

But it's the Black Hawk War led up to it.

Without the Black Hawk War, we wouldn't have had that secession.

The Blackhawk War happened because the 1804 treaty.

The second Fox believed in, that it was fraudulently signed because the people who signed it were not chiefs of the tribe, were not authorized to give up land.

So all of this big bundled story plays into the 32 treaty.

And think about this, is that it totally plays into what we are today here in the cities area.

I mean, that history, that treaty was the basis for everything afterwards.

That's so true.

If you sit down and read the treaty, which I have, it's really not that interesting.

But when you understand what it means, that's where it really becomes fascinating and becomes a huge part of who we are.

Well, as you pointed out, I mean, with the Ken Burns documentary and with the, screenings, and the panelists that you're going to have in September, it was important to have a Native American voice, and it wasn't it.

Oh, absolutely.

Yeah.

So because especially that local connection that Christina was describing about this being the westernmost battle of the American Revolution and things that happened here locally, we wanted to bring in someone especially that has that historical and cultural knowledge and, and encourage them and promote them to share their story and their knowledge.

Do you think that, I mean, because once again, the documentary doesn't air until January.

Correct.

What kind of discussion do you hope to have?

Once it does hit the air.

So the screenings are happening before.

Right.

But we will encourage our community members to engage with us on social media and other platforms to to.

Yeah, to continue that conversation about what what they experience in watching that and and making those other local connections as well.

When you have these milestones like 2026, Christina, the 250th birthday of America, it is kind of interesting to look back, but also kind of take stock in what we have right now.

And how we got here.

I had look back because I'm an old man.

I remember, 1976.

And it was just I was a kid, and it was all about fireworks and and, I don't know, the John Adams and, Jefferson and Thomas, and George Washington and the signing of the Declaration of Independence and how it was created.

What is the touchstone for for the 250th birthday?

What do you think is the thing that we really need to acknowledge about America in the coming year?

Well, I think that we need to acknowledge that we are all a part of history.

You know, you talked about Washington and Jefferson and all those things that happened on the East Coast, and we may think we're not a part of this, but we are, and we all have stories to tell.

So you for part of our work that we're doing for the 250th is that we're partnering with the public library to do podcasts where we'll examine artifacts in our collection that we think have national significance, and they will examine their, art, their objects, their photographs and their documents that also document similar trends in history.

So we're really excited about this partnership and the fact that it's a podcast brings it.

Now, you know, of course, into 21st century, technology.

What are you hoping to really inspire or at least educate, the younger generation?

I mean, the people that may not know American history as well.

Yes.

We are really hoping to do that.

And, the stories that we have picked to tell, I think are really interesting stories that are going to engage people the same here.

Because there's a certain audience that does know Ken Burns, but there's, there's you got to reach out to others that don't.

Right.

And the the partnership with Moline High School is an example of that being able to take our panelists and experts and the documentary excerpts themselves and, and share them with a younger generation.

And I think with that to promoting the volunteer aspect of it, brings us into the future and really says, okay, how can we engage today and make an impact today?

Well, and Christina, we've been talking to people, you know, over the last year in regards to their civic spark, what it takes, to become a better American citizen.

What was the one thing that made you do what you want to do when it comes to history?

What was your civic spark?

What made you say, I'm really interested in history, and I think more people should be as well.

I think, my love of history really started when I was a kid, but I didn't really understand that it was history because I loved reading, like Laura Ingalls Wilder and things like that.

And it never occurred to me that I was learning history with that.

I just just enjoying the stories.

And then when I grew up and became, an anthropologist, I, I went with the archeology aspect.

So I was studying pre-history.

How do you study history without any written records?

Through the archeological record?

So, I've always been material culture focused.

And how that material culture contributes to our understanding of history and who we are and our place in it.

And one last pitch since we just have a few moments left.

I mean, coming up September, tell me about the panel and what people can expect.

Sure.

So the the event date is Thursday, September 25th.

You can if people find us on social media, all the information is there.

But, yeah, we start the day at the Harvard Museum at 10 a.m.. Then we head over to Moline High School in the afternoon and then end the day with a, public event, at the Putney Museum.

Again, it's about an hour program where we'll show excerpts from the documentary, and then our panelists will discuss those excerpts and again, make those local connections.

Our thanks to Wqpt director of outreach Melissa Gravatt and the Putnam Museum's curator of history, Christina Castell.

Once again, screenings of Ken Burns new documentary The American Revolution will be held Thursday, September 25th at the Hallberg Museum in Rock Island.

The Putnam Museum in Davenport and Moline High School.

And watch the six part, 12 hour documentary in January on Wqpt.

Still to come, the civic spark behind one man's career as a bilingual early learning center director in the cities.

But first, a look at area events.

Thanks to visit Quad Cities.

Check out the things to do this week in the Quad Cities.

Start your week off by attending.

Come from away at the circa 21 Dinner Playhouse.

Next, attend a premier fine arts festival.

It's the perfect chance to see amazing works of art.

Next sample some of the best wine that Iowa has to offer at the LeClaire Wine Stampede.

Then get ready for Corgi Fest.

There will be food trucks, raffles, live music, and of course, Corgi races.

And finally, enjoy a free family event at the Butterworth Center and Dear Wyman House.

For more events like these, check out our events calendar at visit Quad cities.com.

Throughout this broadcast, we've talked about history and the nation's journey to markets.

250th birthday this coming 4th of July.

We're also talking with people in the cities about the reason they are in the careers they are in, and how their work makes our area, and sometimes our country better.

It's their civic spark.

We asked Eduardo Perez, the director of Western Illinois University's bilingual Early Learning Lab.

What is his civic spark?

I chose education, but early childhood education chose me.

I was, married, and I already have two children.

When I was finishing my bachelors and I was in a very vulnerable position that we had to say, publicly because we didn't have enough for food and enough for for my family.

And as I was sitting at that, office, seeking for assistance, which we were denied after the fact, but I noticed that around me there were about 5 or 6 mothers with young children, all ages from babies all the way to five, six, seven years old.

And as I am with them in this office, feeling that, you know, I need extra help, I need the extra push.

I need this extra support for my family.

But I know that, at least in my case, because I was there, you know, finishing my bachelor's degree.

I know I'm going to things are going to be different soon.

But then at that moment, that's when it hit me.

Someone has to tell this generation that this is not the only way of life, that they have opportunities, that because of where you start, it doesn't mean that you have to stay like that for many years after that.

And I wanted to be that agent of change, to tell them with my story.

As a kindergarten teacher, now, as a director of the bilingual Early, Early learning and Family Center, that things can be different and we can do that together as a community and through education.

And this is the reason why I do what I do.

Our thanks to Eduardo Perez, the director of Western Illinois University's bilingual Early Learning Lab.

On the air, on the radio, on the web, on your mobile device and streaming on your computer.

Thanks for taking some time to join us.

As we talk about the issues on the city's.