The Michigan Association of Broadcasters Recognizes Digital Series
Washington, DC—The Michigan Association of Broadcasters, Broadcast Excellence Awards, has announced “Visions of America: All Stories, All People, All Places” as the winner in the “Public Television: Use of Multi-Platform Media—Long Form” category. The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) collaborated in this digital-only series with PBS Books and Detroit Public Television, who served as a media partner of the new series.
Through “Visions of America,” IMLS has been engaging the nation’s libraries, museums, and archives—the caretakers of our history and culture—as we approach the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. IMLS is committed to honoring the value of all stories about our nation’s development over the past 250 years, focusing on local histories and how their actions shaped the country and our collective heritage while respecting regional and cultural differences and amplifying diverse voices.
The first season of the series of videos and virtual conversations highlights lesser-known moments in our country’s history and culture, such as stories of Cuban migration through the Freedom Tower in Miami, African American culture in Kansas City at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum, and Asian American and Pacific Islander history and culture through the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle. The series includes conversations with historians, biographers, critics, commentators, and civic leaders.
“We are honored to be recognized for this important series on U.S. history by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters,” said IMLS Director and host of the series Crosby Kemper. “As the nation begins to contemplate its 250th anniversary, IMLS wanted to model the conversations about who needs to be included and celebrated in our history, particularly the hidden stories that represent an America for all of us. We wanted to model the conversations that communities have in their most trusted spaces, their libraries and museums.”
“And we found the perfect partners in Detroit Public TV and PBS Books,” Kemper continued. “These are stories of perseverance, persistence, and heroism under pressure and prejudice that represent, as Bob Kendrick the Director of the Negro Leagues Museum said to us—the American Spirit.”
As director, Kemper has engaged museum, library, and arts leaders in deep conversations about American history and the U.S. Semiquincentennial, drawing from his dedicated study of history and civics and his commitment to civil discourse.
About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America's museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. IMLS envisions a nation where individuals and communities have access to museums and libraries to learn from and be inspired by the trusted information, ideas, and stories they contain about our diverse natural and cultural heritage. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn.
About PBS Books
Started in 2014 by Detroit Public Television, PBS Books is a trusted national brand and a multiplatform initiative connecting diverse audiences to books through PBS stations and programming, daily and original content, book fairs, conferences, live performances, screenings, and other book-related events. The vision of PBS Books is to foster a community of people engaged in unique literary experiences that spark their curiosity, promote dialogue, and inspire learning. PBS Books aims to provide context for complex issues—both national and local. In early 2019 with the support of the Knight Foundation and the Wyncote Foundation, PBS Books launched a free Library Engagement Program, which currently has more than 1,800 library partners. Today, PBS Books produces regular virtual content promoting critical dialogue about current topics and critical issues in communities across the U.S. To learn more, please visit www.pbsbooks.org.
About Detroit Public TV
Serving Southeast Michigan, Detroit Public TV (DPTV) is Michigan’s largest and most watched television station, with the most diverse public television audience in the country. Each week, more than 2 million people watch DPTV’s five broadcast channels, and nearly 200,000 people listen to its radio station, 90.9 WRCJ, for classical days and jazzy nights. In addition, DPTV is building the next generation of public media with a rapidly growing digital presence, which now reaches more than half a million unique visitors through its website, YouTube channels, and social media platforms each month. For more information, visit dptv.org.