Over 14,000 stories have been submitted to American Portrait. Today, American Portrait ends the chapter. While no longer accepting submissions, the website will exist as an archive of the project. We hope you’ll explore the site and learn more about people near and far.
PBS American Portrait’s Tweets
Happy Pride Month! Hear stories of coming out from people across America and celebrate the history and communities that make up the LGBTQ+ experience in American Portrait's latest feature collection: to.pbs.org/3w42ctc.
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People from all walks of life make up #AmericanPortraitPBS, including: documentarian @kenburns, @henrylouisgates from @PBS #FindingYourRoots, news correspondent @JohnQABC, #TeamUSA Paralympics athletes @sophiaherzog and @tatyanamcfadden (1/3)
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We have to remember that it’s our story and #AmericanPortraitPBS helps us see the threads that connect us, as blurred at times as they may appear. Check them out.
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People from all walks of life make up #AmericanPortraitPBS, including: documentarian @kenburns, @henrylouisgates from @PBS #FindingYourRoots, news correspondent @JohnQABC, #TeamUSA Paralympics athletes @sophiaherzog and @tatyanamcfadden (1/3)
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People from all walks of life make up #AmericanPortraitPBS, including: documentarian @kenburns, @henrylouisgates from @PBS #FindingYourRoots, news correspondent @JohnQABC, #TeamUSA Paralympics athletes @sophiaherzog and @tatyanamcfadden (1/3)
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We appreciate and value the contributions of these public figures, along with all of the people across America who submitted to this project. (3/3)
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Former NASA astronaut , actor-comedian , actress , media personality , Grammy winning gospel singer , and Grammy nominated singer/songwriter . (2/3)
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People from all walks of life make up #AmericanPortraitPBS, including: documentarian , from #FindingYourRoots, news correspondent , #TeamUSA Paralympics athletes and (1/3)
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This mural in Atlanta is the 8th and final of American Portrait's mural series and is based on Lesley R.'s story of feeling seen, interpreted by artist Jon Key.
Location: 1125 Euclid Ave NE
Mural Creative Direction by
Mural Installation by @nokingscollective
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It's finally here! American Portrait: The Story of Us, Told by Us, is available now in bookstores and Target. Learn more about the book and place your order at to.pbs.org/35qPJoy.
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Happy Father's Day to all of the dads: new dads, granddads, chosen dads, dads we miss, dads we love!
We're celebrating dads of every kind across America. Check out American Portrait's collection of stories about fathers: to.pbs.org/3xw5bvE.
"Juneteenth, that's one of the days that gives me all the energy and all the spiritual guidance from the ancestors that I need to make it through another year." — Lee J.
Explore the significance of Juneteenth from American Portrait participants: to.pbs.org/2SzrCBD.
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Location: 19 Wyckoff Ave, Brooklyn, NY
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Artist:
Mural Creative Direction by
Mural Installation by @nokingscollective
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"We believe our Dad deserves a second chance." — Ebony U., New York, NY
Ebony shares the story of reunification with her father and how artist Ashley Lukashevsky interpreted her message into this powerful mural.
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📕 Here's a sneak peak at the American Portrait book, releasing June 22nd. Pre-order at to.pbs.org/35qPJoy. 📕
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"What gets me out of bed in the morning is that I can try a little harder each day to bring some healing to kids in our community." —Denise M., Providence, RI
Denise M. shares what her work as the co-director of Girls Rock! Rhode Island means to her.
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The final American Portrait public artwork, "Altar to a Dream" by artist Carlos Ramirez, is a colorful homage to the migrant experience to America. Explore the piece here: to.pbs.org/3ge84eU.
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See the American Portrait mural in Minneapolis by Native American artist Thomisina, founder of City Mischief Murals, based on a submission from Zakiyah A. in Brooklyn, NY.
Mural Creative Direction:
Drone Footage: Teddy Grimes, Extensive Knowledge Productions
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Art by Cody Hudson
Mural Creative Direction by
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"Hope is a feeling like we have a bridge between where we are and where we are headed." — Dana S., Phoenix, AZ
Hear the story behind American Portrait's mural in Dallas by artist Cody Hudson, in the Deep Ellum neighborhood at 2901 Elm St at Malcom X Blvd.
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Learn about "The House Our Family Built," an American Portrait public art installation created by acclaimed street artist Caledonia Curry, aka : to.pbs.org/34L7bnK.
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"The thing that I've learned since I transitioned, which
was just five years ago, is what happiness is." — Erica K.
This Pride Month, Erica K. reminds us that despite the challenges of coming out, the joy of being who you are is central to the queer experience.
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"Memorial Day is a day when we all stop and think about the people we have lost, especially our veterans." — Sandra J., Pinnacle, NC
Sandra J. shares her family photo album made of up veterans that span many generations in her family.
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As Tulsa, Oklahoma, approaches the centennial of the Greenwood Massacre, a dark moment in its history that devastated America's "Black Wall Street", artist Rick Lowe's G.A.P. Van is inspiring folks across Tulsa to commemorate, mourn, and learn together: to.pbs.org/3vvYsS1.
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After a year of collecting stories from people across the country for the #AmericanPortraitPBS docuseries, now you can explore these stories in physical form in the new book The Story of Us, Told by Us.
Pre-order ahead of the June 22 release: to.pbs.org/34oFtwQ.
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Location: 600 S Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA
Participant: Anna S.
Art by
Mural Creative Direction by
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Check out this mural in Los Angeles by artists Jen DeRosa and Richard Perez of Skinny Ships, based on Anna S.'s story of her immigrant parents' American Dream. It's the fourth in a series of eight American Portrait murals across the country.
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Check out this mural in Chicago by artist , based on Peyton H.'s story about becoming a father. It's the third of eight American Portrait murals across the country: to.pbs.org/3oKqlDd.
Location: 1209 N. Milwaukee Ave
Creative direction:
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“To me, work means going into a battlefield. As a waitress during a pandemic, I never know if I am safe. I can only hope that my mask and Lysol will protect me, but I never know if the people I serve are carriers of Covid-19.”
— Anonymous, Indianapolis, IN (5/5)
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“A lot of us [are] thinking about what the industry would look like if workers were...the ones structuring it...figuring out how to bridge and get rid of the two tiered workforce that exists between immigrant and citizen.”
— Natalia T. (4/5)
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“When we switched to outdoor dining, our staff has had to work a little harder and face various challenges...Whether it's a storm rain, the heat, the immense number of takeout orders, or even just walking up and down the stairs to the outdoor tent.”
— Jules S. (3/5)
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“I've dealt with a lot with my job alone...through the pandemic. I can tell you all I love what I do and there's not a day that doesn't goes by someone at Waffle House steals my heart. I'm dedicated and I wanted you all to know it!”
— Latease W., Greenville, SC (2/5)
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Since the start of the pandemic, the service and restaurant industries have been severely impacted. Today we're celebrating servers and restaurant workers everywhere. See their stories below: (1/5)
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"The maypole has been a tradition in my life longer than I have had memories...A celebration bursting with color and flowers accomplished through communal dance." — Malia F., Petrolia, CA
Malia F. shares her family's maypole tradition, a European celebration of spring.
Participant: Lawrence W.
Art by Jocelyn Tsaih
Mural Creative Direction by
Mural Installation by
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Check out this mural in San Francisco by artist Jocelyn Tsaih, based on Lawrence W.'s story of coming out as trans. It's the second in a series of eight American Portrait murals across the country.
Location: Folsom St. & Jessie West St. near the San Francisco Chronicle & Target
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Eid Mubarak to all who celebrate! Eid al-Fitr is the holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. Here's a look back at last year's once-in-a-lifetime Eid. May this and future Eid al-Fitr never look like the one in 2020 again.
The artist Swoon and The Million Person Project are hosting a free virtual workshop tomorrow at 7 pm ET based on American Portrait's prompt "I'm letting go". It's not too late to RSVP! to.pbs.org/3uCvoYn
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Join artist Swoon and The Million Person Project on Wed May 12 at 7 pm ET for a workshop that encourages participants to explore, articulate and share their personal stories. RSVP here for this free virtual workshop: to.pbs.org/3uCvoYn.
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