Tom Hanks said the most profound human story involves an individual refusing to give in to fear while persisting through a difficult endeavor.
The actor's comments underscore a broader effort to protect historical narratives from political interference. By emphasizing personal courage, Hanks and filmmaker Ken Burns aim to counter attempts to rewrite or erase American history.
Speaking at a panel in 2025, Hanks said these themes following a screening of Burns’s PBS documentary series, "The American Revolution." The series examines the foundations of the U.S. through the lens of individual persistence, and collective struggle.
"I don’t think there’s anything that I have found, in the course of human storytelling, that is more profound than an individual not giving into fear and then holding on through the entire endeavor," Hanks said.
This focus on historical integrity comes amid what Hanks and Burns describe as a Trump-led effort to alter the way American history is taught and remembered. The documentary serves as a scholarly response to these pressures, utilizing a wide array of historical perspectives to ground its narrative.
To achieve this depth, the related documentary series features more than 60 experts [1]. This collaborative approach ensures that the series remains anchored in verified research rather than political convenience.
The panel discussion emphasized that the lessons of the American Revolution remain relevant today. By centering the narrative on the psychological battle against fear, the production seeks to inspire a modern audience to value factual history over curated myths.
“I don’t think there’s anything that I have found... that is more profound than an individual not giving into fear.”
The collaboration between Tom Hanks and Ken Burns represents a strategic use of celebrity and prestige media to safeguard historical archives. By framing the American Revolution as a story of individual resilience against fear, they are positioning historical accuracy as a form of civic courage in an era of increasing political polarization over national identity.
