Midwest Filmmakers (ages 14-22) Recognized for Exceptional Short History Documentaries

Chicago, IL (April 14, 2025) – The Lincoln Presidential Foundation is proud to announce the winners of its inaugural Latest Generation Film Contest, which provides mentorship and recognition for the next generation of historical documentary filmmakers. The contest invited Midwest filmmakers ages 14 to 22 to create short historical documentaries based on the theme "On This Land." Hundreds of young people participated, and their submissions reflect a wide range of topics and interests. The winning films, reviewed by a panel of filmmakers and educators, will premiere at a red carpet event in Chicago on June 22.

The name of the contest was inspired by a question Abraham Lincoln posed to an Indianapolis crowd in 1861: "Shall the liberties of this country be preserved to the latest generation?” Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns helped launch the contest last year with a video announcement encouraging young filmmakers to engage with the history around them. This Lincoln Presidential Foundation program was made possible by a generous grant from The Better Angels Society through the Amy Margerum Berg Education Fund.

“We look forward to celebrating the winners of this year’s Latest Generation Film Contest and the powerful stories they’ve chosen to tell,” said Erin Carlson Mast, President & CEO of the Lincoln Presidential Foundation. “These filmmakers used creative storytelling to explore the past and its impact on their lives in unique ways that highlight a sense of place. We’re honored to provide an opportunity for young people to explore their creative voice while honing historical and media literacy skills. We’re deeply grateful to The Better Angels Society for their partnership in making this transformative program possible.”

 “The Better Angels Society is honored to support the Latest Generation Film Contest,” said Katherine Malone-France, President & CEO of The Better Angels Society. “The work of these talented young filmmakers demonstrates that every place is layered with important stories, and sharing them through documentary films connects us to each other. With support from exceptional mentors from public media and documentary filmmaking, the winners make it clear that the latest generation of American history documentarians is filled with promise.”

The judges were deeply impressed by the creativity, research, and storytelling demonstrated by the winning participants. Cash prizes will be awarded to first, second, and third place winners in each age bracket (14-16, 17-19, 20-22), with first place receiving $2,000, second place $1,000, third place $500, and Special Recognition $250.

Winning Directors and Films

Ages 20-22:

• 1st place: The Garden of Eden Documentary – Ryan Schuckman (Hays, Kansas)
• 2nd place: Hip Hop is a Home – Jherrisha Barr (Chicago, Illinois)
• 3rd place: Grandpa Noel’s Gift – Riley Killian (Appleton, Wisconsin)
• Special Recognition: Excellence in Storytelling – The Barn is Burning – Carter J. Hellwarth (Celina, Ohio)

Ages 17-19:

• 1st place: Kansas City Jazz: A Frontier for Black Success – Mia Rasmussen (Lawrence, Kansas)
• 2nd place: Turning the Tide: Glen Lake Sanatorium's Crusade to Conquer Tuberculosis – Sasha Allen (Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
• 3rd place: Board by Board: How the Movement of One Church Constructed a Community’s History – Jennifer Omernik (Custer, Wisconsin)
• Special Recognition: Original Approach to History – Extra Ordinary Girls: Stories from the Underground Railroad – Mariam Umar, Illiana Ambriz, Karenna Zemek, Bailey Callahan, Dalaysia Dixon, Aniya Dixon, Garyel Welch (Moline, Illinois)
• Special Recognition: Depth of Research – What They Taught Us: How Grassroots Diplomacy Shaped the Cultivation of Milwaukee Neighborhoods – Krin Elizabeth Blegen (Oconomowoc, Wisconsin)

Ages 14-16:

• 1st place: The Life of Ike – Isaac Gorges (Wichita, Kansas)
• 2nd place: Buttons, Baby Teeth, and Bombs: The St. Louis Baby Tooth Project – Rohan Deshpande (Chesterfield, Missouri)
• 3rd place: On This Land: Dr. Norman Borlaug's Lasting Legacy – Jackson Ray Mehmen (Plainfield, Iowa)
• Special Recognition: Creativity in Storytelling – Rock Revolutionaries - The Chicago Women's Liberation Rock Band – Deepti Koduru, Madeleine Kim, Noa Kim-Cohen, Selasi Affram (Chicago, Illinois)

Beyond the Midwest – Special Recognition: Creativity in Storytelling:

• 35,567 Yup'ik Stories – Magnus Shipe (Santa Fe, New Mexico)

 

About the Lincoln Presidential Foundation

Established in 2000, the Lincoln Presidential Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity headquartered in Illinois. It is the only national foundation focused on increasing access to history, educational programs, exhibits, and sites highlighting the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln. The Foundation does its work in cooperation and partnership with others locally, nationally, and globally. Its vision is a world where freedom and democracy flourish, inspired by the life and work of Abraham Lincoln.

Learn more at lincolnpresidential.org.

About The Better Angels Society

The Better Angels Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Americans about their history through documentary film. They are the pre-eminent organization supporting excellence in American history documentaries in ways that advance education and civic engagement. The Society works to ensure that films about American history by emerging and established filmmakers are completed, broadcast, promoted, and shared with wide audiences. The organization raises funds to support individual films in partnership with public media and annually awards the Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film to the best American history documentary in partnership with the Library of Congress. The Better Angels Society also awards Better Angels Lavine Fellowships to in-process documentaries and provides recognition and mentoring to student filmmakers through programs like the Latest Generation Film Contest and The Next Generation Angels Awards in partnership with National History Day®.

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