Based on the popular and revolutionary PBS multiplatform documentary
project, an inspiring and striking photographic portrait that
brilliantly captures the tumultuous, historic year that was 2020,
offering an intimate look at the heart and soul of our national life and
what it means to be an American today, revealed through the stories of
ordinary people from sea to shining sea.
Everyone has a story . . .
In January 2020, in celebration of its 50th anniversary, PBS launched an
ambitious national storytelling project, American Portrait, inviting
people across the country to participate in a national conversation
about what it means to be an American today. The multiplatform
experience, including a television series that will air on PBS stations
nationwide in January 2021, has created a communal voice through the
individual stories of participants--each one a unique stitch in the
beautiful, diverse quilt that is America.
A vivid yet nuanced snapshot of who we are, this visually striking
companion volume features more than 400 entries and photographs, all
which began with an answer to a simple cue:
My American story started when . . .
You don't know what it's like to . . .
My greatest challenge is . . .
The tradition I carry on is . . .
I was raised to believe . . .
What keeps me up at night is . . .
I took a risk when . . .
When I step outside my door . . .
Most days I feel . . .
Told by people of all ages, orientations, and walks of life, these
unique stories of joy, adversity, love, sacrifice, grief, sharing,
triumph, and grace, centered on the themes of family, work, fun, faith,
and community, illuminate the struggles, hopes, dreams, and convictions
of Americans today. The more we share with our fellow citizens, the more
we can see a real, complex, and fascinating representation of our
country that is far richer and deeper than headlines and elections tell
us. As intriguing, thoughtful, and distinct as the nation it embodies,
American Portrait is a photographic manifestation of Walt Whitman's
immortal words, "I am large. I contain multitudes"--and a vital and
ultimately hopeful reminder that what we all share is much greater and
enduring than what may divide us.
