PBS North Carolina and Thalian Hall Present — Homegrown History
An Exclusive Screening & Wilmington Community Conversation
Plus curated clips from The American Revolution, a film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt

Join PBS North Carolina and Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts for a special evening of storytelling that connects the sweeping national history of the American Revolution with a remarkable Revolutionary-era story from right here in Wilmington and New Hanover County.
The evening will feature a curated selection of clips from acclaimed documentary The American Revolution, a film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, paired with a special screening of Homegrown History, PBS North Carolina’s original documentary series created in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
Together, these two productions offer an opportunity to explore the American Revolution from both a national and local perspective—and to consider the people and communities whose stories help us better understand this pivotal chapter in American history.
This episode of Homegrown History features the story of Zachariah Jacobs (Holmes), a free soldier of color born in the Wilmington/New Hanover County area whose contributions to the American Revolution were nearly lost to history.
Your Evening Includes:
A special screening of Homegrown History, Episode 2: Forgotten Heroes of the American Revolution
A curated selection of clips from The American Revolution, a film by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, the nationally acclaimed documentary series exploring the people, events, and ideas that shaped the Revolutionary era
A community conversation and audience Q&A with Homegrown History series executive producer, Greg Jeske, local historians and descendants of Zachariah Jacobs
An opportunity to connect with fellow history enthusiasts and PBS fans
Light refreshments will be served
Free and open to the public. Advanced registraton is required.
Questions about the event or registration? Email Karen Nowak at events@pbsnc.org.
Accessibility: Certified ASL interpreters will interpret all spoken portions of the event. The film has open captions.