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In Fall 2009, PBS stations across the country broadcast Ken Burns’s latest film, “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.”

The film, scheduled to air as a six-part series, chronicles the evolution of the National Parks over nearly 150 years.

“The National Parks: America’s Best Idea” tells the rich cultural, historic and environmental stories that lay behind the creation and preservation of some of America’s most important sites.

“Our national parks are a defining part of who we are as a people. We’re hopeful new generations of Americans will discover our parks, embrace them, and pass them on to their children as part of their heritage.” – Ken Burns

Part of the grant went to collecting the stories of people from diverse backgrounds that have had an impact on the creation and protection of individual parks, bringing to light narratives which have largely remained hidden.

Chronicled in the “Untold Stories,” which were developed into a companion book and shorter film, is the story of Israel “Parson” Jones, an African American man who bought land in the late 1800s which later became the backbone of Florida’s Biscayne National Park after his son insisted that it not be sold to developers.

The Haas, Jr. Fund provided the largest grant in PBS history for public outreach to make sure the film reaches communities that have traditionally been underrepresented in the National Parks, through educational materials, translation of the film, and grants for local outreach.

At the Parks for All press conference and forum in San Francisco, Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan met with members of the press and the community to launch the “Untold Stories” campaign, and to provide details on the components of the unprecedented outreach effort.

Slideshows

National Parks: America's Best Idea

Ken Burns' latest film explores the untold stories behind some of our country's most magnificent sites.

All Slideshows

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