National program offers mentorship and community for the next generation of historical documentary filmmakers
Chicago, IL (September 1, 2026) –The Lincoln Presidential Foundation is proud to launch the third year of its Latest Generation Film Contest, offered in partnership with The Better Angels Society with generous support from its Amy Margerum Berg Education Fund. The program takes its name from a question President Abraham Lincoln posed to a crowd in Indianapolis in 1861: "Shall the liberties of this country be preserved to the latest generation?"
The program is open to young people nationwide ages 14 to 22. Eligible participants are invited to produce a 5- to 8-minute documentary film that captures a true story from the past exploring this year’s theme, "Stories of Repair," inspired by Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address.
In this speech, delivered near the end of the American Civil War, President Lincoln challenged Americans to consider the causes of the conflict and what would be required to build a just and lasting peace. Throughout American history, leaders, organizations, and communities have accomplished restorative work in different ways. They have expanded opportunity, strengthened institutions, confronted injustice, and created pathways to a brighter future.
There is no entry fee to participate in the contest. Participants can attend free online mentorship sessions with professional filmmakers and historians as they prepare their submissions. Winners will receive additional mentorship, cash prizes, and an invitation to a red-carpet screening event in Chicago.
“Lincoln understood that the beginnings and endings of major conflicts and periods of upheaval rarely tell the whole story. How a society approaches recovery and rebuilding can have a profound impact on what comes next,” said Erin Carlson Mast, President & CEO of the Lincoln Presidential Foundation. “We look forward to seeing how young filmmakers research and tell stories from our shared past, and to the many different ways they will explore the people and communities who worked to repair, rebuild, and move forward.”
“The Better Angels Society supports storytelling that is deeply researched, compelling, and grounded in a spirit of curiosity and civic engagement,” said Katherine Malone-France, President & CEO of The Better Angels Society. “This contest embodies those values by harnessing the creativity and digital media skills of young people to tell stories from our history that are meaningful to them. In researching and creating their films, young people have an opportunity to engage more deeply with our shared history and consider how the past shapes the communities and country we live in today. We look forward to seeing how their films bring to life stories of repair that speak to our strength and resilience as a nation.”
About 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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