Filmmakers Ages 14–22 from Across the Country Recognized for Exceptional History Documentaries
Chicago, IL (May 14, 2026) – The Lincoln Presidential Foundation is proud to announce the winners of its second annual Latest Generation Film Contest, which provides training, mentorship, and recognition for emerging historical documentary filmmakers. This year, the contest expanded nationwide, inviting filmmakers ages 14 to 22 from across the country to create short historical documentaries inspired by Lincoln’s call to “Think Anew, Act Anew.” Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns again helped launch the contest with a personal video encouraging young filmmakers to engage with the history around them.
Hundreds of young people participated, submitting films on a wide range of historical subjects that explored the contest theme of American innovators and changemakers. Selected by a panel of filmmakers and educators, the winning films will premiere at a red-carpet event in Chicago on June 27.
The contest takes its name from a question Abraham Lincoln posed to an Indianapolis crowd in 1861: “Shall the liberties of this country be preserved to the latest generation?” The program is a partnership between the Lincoln Presidential Foundation and The Better Angels Society and is funded through the Amy Margerum Berg Education Fund.
“This year’s filmmakers took Lincoln’s call to ‘Think Anew, Act Anew’ in thoughtful and creative directions,” said Erin Carlson Mast, President & CEO of Lincoln Presidential Foundation. “The winning projects show young people engaging deeply with history through archival research, interviews, and documentary storytelling. We’re proud to support students as they strengthen historical and media literacy skills, and we’re grateful to The Better Angels Society for their partnership in making the program possible.”
“The theme inspired young people across the country to uncover stories of individuals who turned an innovative idea into a reality, sparked change, or imagined a different future that helped their communities or the nation thrive,” said Katherine Malone-France, President & CEO of The Better Angels Society. “By bringing these stories to life through documentary film, these young filmmakers are demonstrating how creativity, historical inquiry, and civic engagement work hand in hand.”
The judges praised this year's participants for their inspiring storytelling, meticulous historical research, and innovative use of archival and multimedia artistry. 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: Following her Rhythm - Who was Sylvia del Villard? – Naia Wakai Torres (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
- 2nd place: Hell, They’ve Got to Eat, Too”: How Federal Project Number One Shaped America’s Cultural Landscape – Sasha Allen (Eden Prairie, Minnesota)
- 3rd place: The Story of Mesa Verde – Ryan Schuckman (Hays, Kansas)
- Special Recognition: Bridging Past and Present: The Wetlands We Inherit – Jakob Highducheck (Charlestown, South Carolina)
Ages 17-19:
- 1st place: Septima Clark: Mother of Liberation – Imani Laird (Newton Highlands, Massachusetts)
- 2nd place: Warrior Spirit – Ainsley Garrett (Klamath Falls, Oregon)
- 3rd place: With Great Power: The Revolution of the Comic Industry – Jaden Friedman (Miami, Florida)
- Special Recognition: Excellence in Storytelling: Line of Fire – Cameron Kirkegaard (Grand Junction, Colorado)
Ages 14-16:
- 1st place: The Many Faces of Lyndon Johnson – Wewish Mahawong (Claremont, California)
- 2nd place: In the Footsteps of My Family – Davis Lee (Los Angeles, California)
- 3rd place: Elizabeth Peratrovich: Trailblazer for America’s First Anti-Discrimination Act – Divya Kareena Thamman (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
- Special Recognition: Depth of Research: When Silence Spoke Louder – Dari Cho, Emily Lee, Derrick Fujioka (Honolulu, Hawaii)
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 the preeminent organization supporting outstanding American history documentaries to inspire lifelong learning, promote civic engagement, and encourage civil discourse. The Society works to ensure that films about American history by emerging and established filmmakers are completed, broadcast, promoted, and shared with wide audiences, along with complementary education and outreach resources and programs. Through the annual Library of Congress Lavine/Ken Burns Prize for Film and the Better Angels Lavine Fellowship, The Society provides resources, mentorship, and recognition to U.S. history documentaries in process. The organization is also engaging the next generations of historical documentarians through innovative partnership programs that provide young people, ages 11-22, with the inspiration and training to make their own American history documentaries while building skills in historical research, critical thinking, leadership, communication, and civics.
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