Plain Genius: The Women Who Built America documentary is a finalist for the Roy W. Dean Grant
In 2026 America celebrates a monumental birthday – its 250th! ”America250” will be
an epic year of celebrating our past, present and hopes for the future. While traditional
historic reflections are focused on extraordinary male contributions to the founding
and building of America, this documentary series will reveals the outstanding, but
never heard of, women who not only helped shape our young country, but whose lives
reverberate 250 years later. The stories we will tell are of the lives of bold, pioneering
women who saw no limitations at a time when women had few options in life. Our
daughters today will see the women whose shoulders they are standing on.
The documentary series entitled Plain Genius: Women Who Helped Build America
will leverage the historical authorship of Chris Enss, best-selling author and skilled
storyteller. Her meticulously researched books provide a road map to primary materials
and archives necessary to present these women in rich and compelling detail. Each
episode will feature four women who had a profound impact on our nation’s early
development, AND the lasting legacy of their gifts to our culture. We will interweave
archival visual and audio materials with cutting-edge reenactments, interviews with
historians, legacy women, and appropriate celebrities.
