The Library of Congress And The Better Angels Society Announce National Jury for Eighth Annual Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize For Film
Annual Prize Supported by The Crimson Lion/Lavine Family Foundation and
The Better Angels Society Recognizes Exemplary U.S. History Documentaries
Over $2.6 Million Awarded Since 2019
Washington, DC – April 15, 2026 – The Library of Congress, The Better Angels Society, Ken Burns, and the Crimson Lion/Lavine Family Foundation today announced the National Jury members for the eighth annual Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film, which recognizes exemplary documentary films that tell compelling stories about U.S. history.
Members of the 2026 National Jury include experts with deep professional knowledge in how we preserve, examine, and tell the stories of our shared past: documentarians Yoruba Richen, Betsy West, and Peter Yost; Tenement Museum President Annie Polland; University of Virginia history professor and film director Claudrena Harold; DOC NYC Artistic Director Jaie Laplante; Harvard’s Black Film Project Executive Director Jacqueline Glover; author and historian Douglas Brinkley; and Chief of the Library of Congress National Audio-Visual Conservation Center Rachael Stoeltje.
“The Prize for Film is a singular and prestigious award honoring excellence in historical documentaries, opening doors for filmmakers, and providing much-needed resources to bring compelling stories of American history to audiences across the country,” said Katherine Malone-France, President and CEO of The Better Angels Society. “We’re committed to attracting a broad, highly competitive pool of submissions each year and we’re excited to have such an accomplished group of people serve on our National Jury to select this year’s finalists.”
“We are thrilled to celebrate the eighth year of the Prize for Film and the remarkable depth of talent that we know will be represented in this year’s submissions,” said Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine. “In partnership with Ken Burns, The Better Angels Society, and the Library of Congress, we are proud to recognize filmmakers from across the United States who are continuing the vital work of telling our nation’s story with the care and craft that defines Ken’s legacy.”
“Telling and preserving stories is the foundation of the Library’s service to Congress and to the nation,” said Acting Librarian of Congress Robert R. Newlen. “The Prize for Film honors those who continue to unearth hidden stories, adding them to a fuller and ever-growing American narrative. We know the documentaries submitted this year, as in previous years, will be deeply compelling, often surprising, and always enlightening.”
The Prize for Film was established in 2019 by the Library of Congress and The Better Angels Society, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to engaging Americans with their history through documentary film. Bestowed annually by the Library of Congress in partnership with The Better Angels Society, the prize includes an award of $200,000 to the winner, a secondary award of $50,000 to the runner up, and $25,000 to each of four other finalists. Films supported by the Prize for Film must focus on an American historical subject, issue, or person within a time frame occurring at least twenty years prior to submission and must present a variety of perspectives grounded in extensive and thorough research.
Submissions are now open through May 3, 2026. For more information about the submission guidelines and to apply, visit The Better Angels Society’s website.
After a robust peer review of all submissions, six finalists will be selected by the National Jury. The acting Librarian of Congress, in consultation with Ken Burns, will then select the winner and runner-up. The winner will be awarded at a ceremony in New York City this fall.
Core underwriting for this prize is provided by a generous gift from Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine through the Crimson Lion/Lavine Family Foundation.
Since 2019, when the Prize for Film started, $2.6 million has been distributed among filmmakers. Winning films have included FLANNERY (Directed by Elizabeth Coffman and Mark Bosco, S.J.); HOLD YOUR FIRE (Directed by Stefan Forbes); GRADUALLY, THEN SUDDENLY: THE BANKRUPTCY OF DETROIT (Directed by Sam Katz and James McGovern); BELLA! (Directed by Jeff L. Lieberman); PHILLY ON FIRE (Directed by Ross Hockrow and Tommy Walker); DROP DEAD CITY (Directed by Peter Yost and Michael Rohatyn); CARTOON KINGS (Directed by Asaf Galay); and AMERICAN PACHUCO: THE LEGEND OF LUIS VALDEZ (Directed by David Alvarado).
Two 2025 Prize-recognized films, winner AMERICAN PACHUCO: THE LEGEND OF LUIS VALDEZ and finalist SOUL PATROL, directed by J.M. Harper, had their world premieres at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where they were recognized with festival awards and critical acclaim.
Prize for Film winners and finalists have been broadcast across network and streaming platforms, including PBS, Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video. Many of the films have played major festivals, including the Sundance Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, SXSW, and DOC NYC. Past recipients have also been nominated for or won major awards, including The Peabody Awards, NAACP Image Award, Emmy Awards, and the IDA Awards.
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About Ken Burns
Ken Burns has been making documentary films for almost fifty years. Since the Academy Award nominated Brooklyn Bridge in 1981, Ken has gone on to direct and produce some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made, including The Civil War; Baseball; Jazz; The War; The National Parks: America’s Best Idea; Prohibition; The Roosevelts: An Intimate History; The Vietnam War; Country Music; The U.S. and the Holocaust; The American Buffalo; Leonardo da Vinci; and, most recently, The American Revolution. Future film projects include Emancipation to Exodus, and LBJ & the Great Society, among others. Ken’s films have been honored with dozens of major awards, including seventeen Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards and two Oscar nominations. In September of 2008, at the News & Documentary Emmy Awards, Ken was honored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences with a Lifetime Achievement Award. In November of 2022, Ken was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.
The Better Angels Society
The Better Angels Society is the preeminent organization supporting outstanding American history documentaries to inspire lifelong learning, promote civic engagement, and encourage civil discourse. The Society works to ensure that films about American history by emerging and established filmmakers are completed, broadcast, promoted, and shared with wide audiences, along with complementary education and outreach resources and programs. Through the annual Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film and the Better Angels Lavine Fellowship, The Society provides resources, mentorship, and recognition to U.S. history documentaries in process. The organization is also engaging the next generations of historical documentarians through innovative partnership programs that provide young people, ages 11-22, with the inspiration and training to make their own American history documentaries while building skills in historical research, critical thinking, leadership, communication, and civics.
About The Crimson Lion/Lavine Family Foundation
Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine established the Crimson Lion/Lavine Family Foundation to focus a significant portion of their philanthropic efforts toward leveling the playing field for individuals and families. The Foundation works to address pressing social challenges in education, community and public service, health and welfare, discrimination, and poverty. The Foundation supports the multi-disciplinary efforts of organizations that serve to strengthen society through research, innovation, public policy, direct service, and advocacy.
About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services, and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
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