America's semiquincentennial to be honored with special screening of 'Inventing America'

HOLLAND — In celebration of the 250th anniversary of America's founding, there will be a special screening of the PBS show "Inventing America: Conversations with the Founders."

Presented by WGVU Public Media and the Hope Academy of Senior Professionals (HASP), this event will take place at 7 p.m. Monday, May 18, at the Jack Miller Music Auditorium, 221 Columbia Ave., Holland. 

Milton J. Nieuwsma, who wrote and produced the series, said the event will honor the late Fred Johnson, who helped with the "Inventing America" project.

Read More: Beloved Hope College Prof. Fred Johnson remembered for passion for history, education, faith

"I had the honor of working on this project with the late and beloved Hope College history professor Dr. Fred Johnson III, who died unexpectedly in February. The program will be a tribute to him as well as a birthday celebration," Nieuwsma said.

"Inventing America: Conversations with the Founders" is a book and two-time Emmy Award-winning PBS series that brings the Founding Fathers to life in a contemporary talk-show format. 

The project explores the creation of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights through imagined, yet fact-based, conversations using the Founders' actual words. The book, published in April 2020, serves as a companion to the three-part documentary series and is used as an educational tool for students to engage with American history. 

"Inventing America" first aired on PBS in 2016 and will be rebroadcast in June. The screening will feature highlights from the three episodes, followed by a panel discussion with four distinguished scholars:

• Dr. Jeanne Petit, professor of history, Hope College.
• Dr. Jeffrey Polet, professor emeritus of political science, Hope College; director of the Ford Leadership Forum, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation.
• Dr. David Ryden, Peter C. and Emajean Cook Professor of Political Science, Hope College.
• Dr. Richard Hiskes, professor emeritus of political science and human rights, University of Connecticut.

The event is free and open to the public, but reservations are recommended. To RSVP, call the HASP office at 616-395-7919.

A reception will follow in the lobby and Nieuwsma will be signing his latest book, "Miracle on Chestnut Street (250th anniversary edition)."

— Submitted by Milt Nieuwsma. To submit a news tip, email newsroom@ottawanewsnetwork.org.