Join us for a special discussion of "The U.S and the Holocaust," a three-part documentary series by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick and Sarah Botstein that examines the United States’ response to one of the greatest humanitarian crises of the twentieth century.
In this 2023 Share My Lesson Virtual Conference session, award-winning director Sarah Botstein will join us to discuss the creation of the series and its use of firsthand testimony from witnesses and survivors to delve deeply into the tragic human consequences of public indifference, bureaucratic red tape, and restrictive quota laws in the United States.
Facing History will share ideas for educators to bring this content into their classrooms.
Speakers
Sarah Botstein, Filmmaker
Sarah Botstein co-directed and produced a three-part series, The U.S. and the Holocaust (2022). Botstein is also producing a six-part series on the American Revolution and a project on Lyndon Johnson’s life and presidency.
For more than two decades, Sarah produced some of the most popular and acclaimed documentaries on PBS. Her work, in collaboration with directors Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, includes Hemingway (2020), College Behind Bars (2019), The Vietnam War (2017), Prohibition (2011), The War (2007) and Jazz (2001).
In addition to the television broadcasts, Botstein works on digital and education initiatives, in collaboration with PBS Learning Media and WETA-TV. She also helps to produce and curate content for Ken Burns UNUM, a web-based platform designed to highlight active themes in American History. The application utilizes scenes from over 40 different Ken Burns films and encourages users to embrace the relevance of history in our contemporary time.
Sarah Shields, Senior Program Associate and Partner School Network Lead, Facing History and Ourselves
Sarah Shields is a Senior Program Associate in Facing History’s Chicago office. Prior to joining Facing History in 2013, she served as an assistant principal and nationally board-certified high school social studies teacher in Chicago Public Schools.
Frank Stebbins, Senior Program Associate for New Jersey Growth & Strategy, Facing History and Ourselves
Frank Stebbins is a Senior Program Associate for New Jersey Growth & Strategy at Facing History. Before this role, he was a New Jersey educator for 17 years.
