I only found out about a wonderful documentary series titled In Pursuit: Philadelphia and the Making of America because the show’s writer and co-producer, Nathaniel Popkin, was dogged about tracking me down via email.[1] I am so glad he did.

The ten-episode series uses the specifics of Philadelphia’s story to explore the broader story of American history. The first five episodes, which begin with the indigenous population of the region and cover the formation and history of the United States through the Civil War will be available on July 4 in conjunction with America 250. The remaining episodes, which bring the story up to the present, will air in the fall and winter.

I was lucky enough to have early access to the first few episodes. And they are bangers: visually beautiful, historically smart, powerfully told. I loved the way they placed the nuggets of the story that we all know, or think we know, against the broader context of economic and social structures. I certainly knew nothing about the Lenape indigenous people of the mid-Atlantic, or their interactions with European settlers.[2] I found I knew less than I thought I did about the Quaker movement in England and William Penn’s place in it.

If you’re looking for a broader account of the formation of the United States, this is a good place to start. You can find more about the series here: https://www.inpursuit.tv/


[1] PSA: If I don’t know you and haven’t returned your email, it means it probably got captured in the “Later” file and then swept away by the several hundred emails that came in after yours. If it’s important, please re-send it with a polite nudge. Unless, of course, you are asking for a political donation, involved in one of the many efforts at scamming authors, asking to place an inappropriate guest post on this blog, or otherwise being annoying.
[2] And had not thought to ask, to my shame. This blind spot is one I struggle with.