The Americana Foundation is pleased to award a grant to GVSU–WGVU Public Media in support of Frontier to Freedom: Wilderness, Revolution, and Michigan Statehood, a new documentary produced by Manitou Films for PBS.
This one-hour film will mark the nation’s semi-quincentennial by exploring Michigan’s evolution from a vast wilderness to its emergence as the 26th state in 1837. Through expert interviews, archival imagery, animated maps, and sweeping visuals of Michigan’s landscapes, the project will highlight both well-known and overlooked stories of the region’s past.
Importantly, the documentary will center voices often left out of the traditional narrative. Indigenous leaders and historians, as well as African American scholars and community representatives, will share perspectives on the challenges of citizenship, self-determination, and inclusion. The film will also commemorate the contributions of individuals like Jean-Baptiste Hamlin, a half French, half Ojibwe warrior who fought in the American Revolution. Americana’s grant will help fund additional filming and post-production focused on the Indigenous narratives, strengthening the documentary’s ability to tell a broader, more inclusive story.
Scheduled to premiere on all PBS affiliates in Michigan on July 2, 2026, the program will reach an estimated 50,000 households, with additional screenings, streaming, and educational distribution planned for schools across the state.
By supporting this project, the Americana Foundation reaffirms its commitment to the American Heritage program area, ensuring that Michigan’s early history is shared in ways that reflect the diversity, complexity, and resilience of the communities who shaped it.