September 23, 2007 was the premiere of award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns’ seven-part epic series on World War II called The War., Louisiana Public Broadcasting tells the story of the significant contributions made by Louisiana’s men and women to the war effort. Not only did thousands volunteer to fight in the European and Pacific Theaters after the United States declared war in December of 1941, but millions more made major contributions in their home state.

Over the past 31 years, Louisiana Public Broadcasting has honored the heroic contributions of veterans through award-winning documentaries such as the duPont Columbia award-winning series Louisiana: A History and D-Day Plus 50 and specials that helped raise the money needed to build the World War II Museum in New Orleans. LPB also told the story of the invention of the Higgins Boat by Andrew Jackson Higgins of New Orleans in the documentary Builders, Heroes & the Boats That Won the War. This boat was a vital part of every amphibious attack from Normandy to Midway Island during World War II. Louisiana was also a major staging ground for the war games staged by the Army to train its recruits. An independent production, The Great Louisiana Maneuvers of 1942 told the story of those epic war games. Louisiana: The State We’re In told the little-known story of a German POW Camp in Ruston and there have been many other veterans featured on LPB.

Over the next few months, LPB is not only revisiting these award-winning documentaries and stories but LPB has sent award-winning producer and reporter Charlie Whinham around the state to tell the stories of Louisiana heroes who made important contributions to the war effort. These stories will air on Louisiana: The State We’re In (Fridays at 7PM and Sundays at 2:00PM) and a new special called Louisiana’s Experience - WWII that will air in September. In addition, LPB will air exclusive interviews with The War producer Ken Burns and some of the participants in the series.

LPBhas also launched a major outreach effort surrounding The War. As part of that outreach effort, LPB is joining the national effort to record the stories of World War II veterans and their families through PBShare.

Other outreach activities will include:

• Preview screenings of The War
• A contest to get high school classes to create a multi-media presentation about World War II that includes interviews with family and neighbors who experienced World War II
• Screenings and discussions about World War II at public libraries and colleges around the state
• Providing teacher guides and other reference materials to schools around the state
• Information about the series will be sent to every VFW and American Legion Post in the state