[Nmtriblibs] American Buffalo - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[Osterloh, Cassandra, DCA]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: ailapresident1979 at gmail.com<mailto:ailapresident1979 at gmail.com>

American Indian Library Association, WETA and PBS Books Partner to Develop Library Engagement Materials for Ken Burns's New Film THE AMERICAN BUFFALO

San Jose, CA  –  11/1/2023  –  WETA Washington, D.C., the American Indian Library Association (AILA), and PBS Books are pleased to announce a community engagement partnership around THE AMERICAN BUFFALO, a new two-part, four-hour film directed by Ken Burns. The documentary traces the near demise – and ultimate return – of the U.S. national mammal, while examining the species’ connection to Indigenous communities and the land.

A central focus of community engagement efforts around the film led by WETA includes centering and celebrating Indigenous voices. This collaboration between WETA, AILA, and PBS Books reinforces a shared commitment to authentic storytelling, and the importance of libraries as public spaces central to supporting culture, community, and creativity.

“The American buffalo is a powerful symbol of the natural world and the Indigenous people of North America,” said John F. Wilson, senior vice president and chief national content officer, WETA National Productions. “We are thrilled to have this new partnership with AILA and continue our relationship with PBS Books to develop resources public media stations and libraries can use to share this critical story."

Ancillary engagement materials — including a book list and coloring pages — were developed with input from AILA. The resources were developed to provide additional entry points for people to learn about the history and culture of the American buffalo as well as the Indigenous people who have lived alongside them for thousands of years.

"I'm thrilled about this partnership that has created resources to support important community discussions on our people's resilience. It's an opportunity to shed light on Native American culture and heritage, fostering understanding and inclusivity, within libraries and beyond." said Allison Waukau, president of the AILA. "Together, we can pave the way for a more equitable and enriched future where the voices of American Indians are heard and respected. This collaboration is a significant step towards fostering unity and celebrating the strength of our community.” The book lists include a variety of titles, including fiction, non-fiction, and picture books for children. Some of the featured titles include:

●      Makoons, Louise Erdrich (Ojibwe)

●      The Good Berry Cookbook: Harvesting and Cooking Wild Rice and Other Wild Foods, Tashia Hart (Anishinaabe)

●      Tatanka and the Lakota People, Donald F. Montileaux (Ogala Lakota)

The coloring pages feature images of buffalo and are designed to be a fun and educational activity for children of all ages.

"PBS Books is thrilled to be a collaborator on this important project." said Rich Homberg, president and CEO of public media station Detroit Public Television which manages PBS Books. “We’re excited that AILA has partnered to support our educational and outreach programs throughout US libraries.” The book list and coloring pages are available now on the PBS Books website at pbsbooks.org/americanbuffalo<http://pbsbooks.org/americanbuffalo>.

The broadcast of THE AMERICAN BUFFALO is accompanied by educational materials for middle and high school classrooms, highlighting recent research and perspectives. The materials, which were prepared by PBS Learning Media<https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw3IqSBhCoARIsAMBkTb3F4i97PNfsbyxb3sm-CtBCZrvcnXd6IqjZHl8X8xXGHBJzEfp2j1EaAgEQEALw_wcB>, are available at the Ken Burns in the Classroom<https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/kenburnsclassroom/home/> site. These materials include clips from the film as well as other resources that connect to its core themes, such as reflections on the buffalo by Indigenous people, Native American life throughout the period, an examination of the buffalo ecosystem and others. UNUM<https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/unum>, Ken Burns’s website that looks at the connections between past and current events, will also utilize other films from the Florentine Films library to facilitate conversations about environmental change and the extermination of wildlife in the United States.



THE AMERICAN BUFFALO premiered last month on PBS stations nationwide and is available for streaming on PBS, PBS.org<https://www.pbs.org/> and the PBS App<https://www.pbs.org/pbs-video-app/>. THE AMERICAN BUFFALO will be distributed internationally by PBS International. The series is available to stream for free on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org<http://www.pbs.org/> and the PBS App<https://www.pbs.org/pbs-video-app/>, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO. PBS station members can view the documentary via PBS Passport as part of a full collection of Ken Burns films. For more information about PBS Passport, visit the PBS Passport FAQ<https://help.pbs.org/support/solutions/5000121793> website.



Corporate funding for THE AMERICAN BUFFALO was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by The Better Angels Society and its following members: Margaret A. Cargill Foundation at the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation; Diane and Hal Brierley; The Keith Campbell Foundation for the Environment; John and Catherine Debs; Kissick Family Foundation; Fred and Donna Seigel; Jacqueline Mars; John and Leslie McQuown; and Mr. and Mrs. Paul Tudor Jones.  Funding was also provided by The Volgenau Foundation.



About WETA

WETA is the leading public broadcaster in the nation’s capital, serving Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia with educational initiatives and high-quality programming on television, radio, and digital platforms. WETA Washington, D.C., is the second-largest producing station for public television in the United States, with news and public affairs programs including PBS NewsHour and Washington Week with the Atlantic; documentaries by Ken Burns and Florentine Films, such as The American Buffalo and The U.S. and the Holocaust; series and documentaries by Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., including Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. And the upcoming film Gospel; performance specials including In Performance at the White House and The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song; and health content from Well Beings, a multiplatform campaign. More information on WETA and its programs and services are available at www.weta.org<http://www.weta.org/>. Visit www.facebook.com/wetatvfm<http://www.facebook.com/wetatvfm> on Facebook or follow @WETAtvfm on Twitter.



About the American Indian Library Association

The American Indian Library Association is a membership action group that addresses the library-related needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives. Members are individuals and institutions interested in the development of programs to improve library cultural and informational services in school, public, and academic libraries. AILA is committed to disseminating information about Indian cultures, languages, values, and traditions to the library community. https://ailanet.org/



About PBS Books

PBS Books is a digital publishing platform that provides access to a wide range of books and educational resources from PBS and its partners. PBS Books offers a variety of features, including curated book lists, author interviews, and interactive learning experiences. https://www.pbsbooks.org/





Cassandra E. Osterloh (Cherokee Nation), MLS, MA
Pronouns: she/her/hers

[cid:e029dcb7-3479-4419-814d-3b7e7534aabb]Tribal Libraries Program Coordinator
Library Development Bureau, New Mexico State Library
1209 Camino Carlos Rey
Santa Fe NM 87507

505-264-2427 (cell)
505-476-9764 (office)
cassandra.osterloh at dca.nm.gov
Learn more: Tribal Libraries Program<https://nmstatelibrary.org/services-for-new-mexico-libraries/tribal-libraries-program/>
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