FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Aug. 22, 2007                                         
CONTACT:  Ronette Rumpca, 605-773-6011, Ronette.Rumpca@state.sd.us

State Historical Society hosting preview screening of “The War”

PIERRE, SD -- The South Dakota State Historical Society, in cooperation with South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB), will host a free preview screening of highlights from Ken Burns’ new film “The War” on Aug. 26 at 1:30 p.m. in the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center.

 “The War,” a seven-episode series about World War II, is coming to SDPB in September. Directed and produced by Burns and Lynn Novick, the film examines how the war touched every family on every street in every town in America.

The State Historical Society’s new traveling exhibit, At Home and Abroad: South Dakota in World War II, will be on exhibit in the Center’s lobby during the screening. There will also be free admission to the museum on the 26^th.

Following the 30-minute preview screening, SDPB staff will lead a group discussion of the film series.

In conjunction with the debut of “The War,” SDPB has launched “Homefront:  South Dakota,” an initiative to collect the memories of those who lived through the war years so future generations can learn from the experiences of everyday South Dakotans. These stories will be shared on SDPB’s Web site www.SDPB.org.

Six interview times for recording personal stories are available during the film screening. The recording sessions will last about 20 minutes. Interviewees may bring photos or other memorabilia to help illustrate their stories. To schedule a recording timeslot, please contact Ronette Rumpca with the State Historical Society at (605) 773-6011. Stories can also be submitted independently to SDPB. For more information about submitting stories, go to SDPB.org or call 1 (800) 456-0766.

SDPB is a statewide, multi-media network offering quality entertainment and lifelong learning via television, the Internet, and Education and Outreach.

The museum in the Cultural Heritage Center is open 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-4:30 p.m. on Sundays and most holidays. Call (605) 773-3458 for more information, or visit www.sdhistory.org.