Ken Burns On The American Revolution

This Fresh Air episode features an interview with Ken Burns, the documentary filmmaker, about his new 12-part PBS series, "The American Revolution." Burns discusses the surprising complexities and divisions of the Revolutionary War, highlighting that it was not only a war against the British but also a civil war among Americans. The series includes perspectives from women, enslaved and free black people, and Native Americans, exploring the hypocrisy of fighting for freedom while many were not free. They delve into the motivations of loyalists and revolutionaries, the promises made to enslaved people who fought, and the roles of women and Native Americans in the conflict. Burns also addresses the challenges of presenting such a complex and nuanced history in the current political climate, where historical narratives are often simplified or erased.