An advance screening of THE VIETNAM WAR documentary on PBS will be shown in Marshall at the SMSU Conference Center from 5:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. on September 12, 2017. The event will feature small group discussions after the screening. Refreshments will be served and the event is free and open to the public. For
more information, contact Justin Guggisberg, regional veterans service coordinator, at 507-537-7213 or justin.guggisberg@my.smsu.edu.
THE VIETNAM WAR is a 10-part, 18-hour documentary film series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick set to premiere nationwide on PBS on September 17, 2017. The first five episodes will air nightly from Sunday, September 17 through Thursday, September 21, and the final five episodes will air nightly from Sunday, September 24 through Thursday, September 28. THE VIETNAM WAR will feature testimony from nearly 100 witnesses, including Americans who fought in the war, others who opposed it and Vietnamese combatants and civilians from many different perspectives.
Segments of THE VIETNAM WAR will form the basis of facilitated dialogues carried out with assistance from the Minnesota Humanities Center, local veterans service offices and several other local partners.
Starting at 5:30 p.m. there will be an open house with refreshments and opportunity to have conversations with other attendees. At 6:30 p.m. the screening will begin with Vietnam War veteran, Bruce Richardson, project consultant for the Vietnam Veterans’ Voices project at the Minnesota Humanities Center, serving as the moderator. After an overview of the 10-part series has been shown, facilitated group discussions will be held.
Pioneer Public Television is also in the process of collecting and recording stories from area Vietnam War Veterans who are interested in sharing their stories. If you or someone you know are interested in telling a Vietnam War story, contact Timothy Bakken at 320-289-2622 or tbakken@pioneer.org .
Funding for these events is being provided by contributions from the voters of Minnesota through a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund that was created by a vote of the people of Minnesota on November 2008 and by the Blandin Foundation.
