The National Parks - A Treasure House of Nature's Superlatives

Burns discusses, in this unusually moving and personal lecture, the great gift of our national parks. Here both the immensity and the intimacy of time merge, as we appreciate what the parks have added to our collective and individual spirit. He begins the talk with a 13-minute clip - the intro to The National Parks: Americas Best Idea.

Sharing the American Experience

Ken Burns reminds the audience of the timeless lessons of history, and the enduring greatness and importance of the United States in the course of human events. Incorporating The Civil War, Baseball and Jazz, Burns engages and celebrates what we share in common. No clips utilized in this presentation.

No Ordinary Lives

Drawing on some of Lincoln's most stirring words as inspiration, this speech engages the paradox of war by following the powerful themes in two of Ken Burns' best known works - The Civil War, his epic retelling of the most important event in American history and The War, his intensely moving story of WWII told through the experiences of so-called ordinary people from four geographically distributed American towns. The presentation opens with Norah Jones' American Anthem clip (5 min) from The War.

American Lives

This combines the biographies of some of Ken’s most fascinating subjects, including Thomas Jefferson, Lewis & Clark and Frank Lloyd Wright. He shares how biography works, and gives insight into the storytelling process. No clips.

Race in America

For more than 30 years, Burns has been dealing with the theme of race in his uniquely American documentaries. Now, in the age of Obama, he looks back from the perspective of monumental change in the country to reflect where weve been. He uses several clips from earlier films in this presentation.

Mystic Chords of Memory

The Civil War continues to be the most important event in American history. In this eloquent address, Burns paints both an intimate and bird’s eye view of the searing events of the years1861 through 1865 and the war’s profound relevance to us today.

On-Stage Conversation/Audience Q&A

This is a less formal, Inside-the-Actors-Studio type of event. Ken responds to questions from moderator on all his films (or film-specific) and issues in history and contemporary American culture. Audience Q&A to conclude if wanted.

Prohibition

In this presentation, Burns takes audiences through the compelling saga of Prohibition's rise and fall that goes far beyond the oft-told tales of gangsters, rum runners, flappers, and speakeasies, to reveal a complicated and divided nation in the throes of momentous transformation. He discusses with audiences the vital questions raised by this era and the 18th Amendment which are as relevant today as they were 100 years ago – about means and ends, individual rights and responsibilities, the proper role of government and finally, who is — and who is not — a real American.

Ken Burns' newest documentary is again about the Civil War, but with a modern twist. The Address is about a Vermont school for learning disabled boys who ...

There are few with a stronger grip on the history of baseball than filmmaker Ken Burns, and perhaps no one has had a bigger hand in mythologizing the game in  ...

The documentary filmmaker, who has received dozens of major awards for his work, will speak at the university's main ceremony in Stanford Stadium on Sunday, June 12.

Inside 'The Vietnam War': How Ken Burns' 10-episode, 18-hour, 360-degree docuseries will change the way you think about the Southeast Asian conflict.