About Iconic America
ICONIC AMERICA: OUR SYMBOLS AND STORIES examines the history of America through some of its most iconic symbols, objects and places, diving deep into each symbol’s history and how its meaning has changed over time — using them as a gateway to understanding America’s past and present. From flags and statues to revered landmarks, people live alongside and interact with history every day. In each episode, David Rubenstein — co-founder of the Carlyle Group, acclaimed philanthropist, and lifelong student of history — explores a symbol from history.
From Fenway Park and the Hollywood Sign to the Gadsden Flag and the Statue of Liberty, these seemingly familiar items have deep, significant and often surprising origins, with meanings connecting everyone to America’s past. Historical thinkers, community members and other experts join in dialogue with Rubenstein on location. Spurred by Rubenstein’s insatiable curiosity and lifelong interest in American history, these conversations drive the narrative and frame it through analysis, reflection, and counterpoint. These are the stories of the country’s history, and also the story of America today.
About David Rubenstein
David M. Rubenstein is Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of The Carlyle Group, a global investment firm. Mr. Rubenstein is Chairman of the Boards of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Gallery of Art, the Economic Club of Washington, and the University of Chicago.
About The Series Creators
Maro Chermayeff
SHOW OF FORCE
Maro Chermayeff is an Emmy, Peabody, and IDA award-winning filmmaker. Selected multi-part series and documentary works include: Hostages, Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children, Marina Abramovic The Artists is Present
(HBO) Soundbreaking, Carrier, Circus, Juilliard, Half the Sky, Frontier House (PBS), Soundtracks: Songs that Defined History (CNN) among many others. Maro is a member of The DGA, AMPAS, and ATAS, and is the Founder and Chair of the MFA program in Social Documentary at SVA/NYC.
Jeff Dupre
SHOW OF FORCE
Jeff has earned numerous illustrious honors, establishing him as producer/director with a knack both for managing complex large-scale productions and for bringing his subjects to life. His work has been released theatrically and screened at film festivals throughout the world as well as airing on PBS, HBO, the BBC, CNN and ARTE.
Joshua Bennett
SHOW OF FORCE
Joshua has produced projects in over 35 countries and on all 7 continents. Projects he’s produced have won The Television Academy Honors Award, The Peabody Award, Emmy and Real Screen awards, and a Grammy Nomination for best Music Documentary. His short film Los Comandos was shortlisted for an Academy award in 2018. Most recently with Show of Force, he executive produced and directed the critically acclaimed, IDA Award winning 5 part HBO documentary series Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children and Hostages, a four part series on the Iran Hostage Crisis for HBO, and Where is Private Dulaney a 3 part documentary series for Hulu.
Sam Pollard
SHOW OF FORCE
Sam is an accomplished feature film and television video editor, and documentary producer/director. In 2020 he was one of the directors on the 2020 HBO Series Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children. In 2021 HBO premiered two of his films Black Art: In the Absence of Light and Citizen Ashe.
Christopher Ullman
DMR PRODUCTIONS
Christopher is a communications professional, author, inspirational speaker and champion whistler. He is president of Ullman Communications, a strategic advisory firm, and previously served lead communications roles with The Carlyle Group, the White House Budget Office, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, among others
John F. Wilson
WETA
John is Senior Vice President and Chief National Content Officer, WETA National Productions. He was previously Vice President and Director of AARP’s Life Reimagined Institute and PBS’s Chief Television Executive & Senior Vice President. He began his television career at PBS member station Arizona PBS (KAET) in Phoenix.
Kate Kelly
WETA
Kate is a media team leader with more than 20 years’ experience in multimedia and educational programs. Since 2005, Kate has worked on more than 100 national public media projects produced by WETA, running the gamut of programming genres, from health, news and public affairs, to history, culture and performance.
