SOUL OF A PEOPLE: WRITING AMERICA'S STORY is the story of the most chaotic and influential publishing venture in history.

In the Great Depression, while hundreds of thousands survived by wielding picks and shovels on WPA jobs, a smaller cadre used pen, paper, and the spirit of invention. Their task: create America's first-ever self-portrait in the WPA guides.

This documentary offers a compelling window into that experience.

The Latest from the Writers' Pen

Now that it has been released, Soul of a People is spreading like wildfire across the country - and even across the ocean! Soul of a People has just been selected as a MIPCOM "Must See" by RealScreen. MIPCOM is probably the entertainment industry's biggest market and trade event and happens once a year in sunny Cannes, France. It is a very prestigious honor to be included on the list.

For locals in the Washington DC area, Soul of a People: Writing America's Story has also been selected as the In-Focus Film of the Month by Busboys & Poets, our favorite local bookstore/coffee shop/restaurant/theater. The film will be screened three times, once at each Busboys & Poets location. See below for details:


  • October 11th at 8 pm (2021 14th Street NW, Washington DC)Call (202) 387-7638 for more information.
  • October 18th at 8 pm (1025 5th Street NW, Washington DC) Call (202) 789-2227 for more information.
  • October 25th at 8 pm (Shirlington Village, Virginia) Call (703) 379-9757 for more information.

Please go to www.busboysandpoets.com for more information!

I hope you are continuing to keep track of our Soul of a People blog!. The latest chapter is about director/producer Andrea Kalin's latest stop on the Soul publicity train -- Kansas City!

We hope you caught the broadcast on September 6th, but do not worry if you missed it! Soul of a People will continue to be broadcast on the Smithsonian Channel HD throughout the Fall. Just check your local listings for times.

Check out the Smithsonian Channel's website for more information about the broadcast and other events.

Soul of a People: Writing America's Story will also be released on DVD. We will be updating the website shortly with more information!

Click here to go to our new Production Journal page. Every few weeks, we will be posting something new - so keep checking back or sign up for our mailing list and we'll let you know when something is up!

Click here to view our Production Journal!

In Memory of Studs Terkel (1912 - 2008)

To the true voice of the people, from the crew of Soul of a People: Goodbye Studs. We miss you already.

More Information

The film's companion book, Soul of a People: The WPA Writers' Project Uncovers Depression Americahas been published by Wiley & Sons. You can read more about the book and its author David Taylor, also co-producer and co-writer of the film, at Smithsonian Channel and BookTV.

For outreach, it is a chance to re-acquaint Americans of all ages with a critical period of U.S. history and the little-known legacy of the Federal Writers' Project: literature, travel guides, photos, oral histories, and rich recordings of voice and music. This treasure trove - along with Spark Media's sweeping new film - will show how that legacy has renewed meaning for America today.

This program is funded by:

For more information, please see:

Click here to register for the American Voices mailing list so you can receive updates on all project activity!