News Release

The Johns Hopkins University's Talent Development Middle Schools U.S. history curriculum developers have written several teaching guides to accompany "Freedom: A History of US," a new eight-hour, 16-part educational series debuting this month on PBS affiliates across the nation.

While local viewers must wait until 3 p.m. this Sunday to watch the first two 30-minute episodes on Maryland Public Television, eager pupils may get a sneak peek at the series by reading the teaching guides produced by Johns Hopkins curriculum writers, which can be found online at www.pbs.org/wnet/historyofus/teachers/guides.html.

Based on Joy Hakim's acclaimed series of books called "A History of US," both the PBS series and its Web content are designed to be viewed and used by families learning together. The Web component is aimed at a multigenerational audience through informal and formal educational resources, expanding to an educator audience as well for use in the classroom. The teaching guides were written by Johns Hopkins curriculum developers Susan Dangel, Maria Garriott, Cora Teter, Andrew Dangel, Amy Fink, and Chris Semancik. Desktop publishing and production were provided by Sharon Joyner Allen and Jennifer Svara.

The series received its major funding from GE, is hosted and narrated by "Today" show anchor Katie Couric and includes actor Christopher Reeve among its producers. "Freedom" also calls upon a star-studded cast to bring historical figures to life, including Chevy Chase as Theodore Roosevelt, Morgan Freeman as Frederick Douglass, Paul Newman as Woodrow Wilson, Tom Hanks as both Paul Revere and Abraham Lincoln, Susan Sarandon as Susan B. Anthony, and Martin Sheen as John Adams.

To speak with the curriculum writers at Johns Hopkins University, contact Amy Cowles at 410-516-7160.