MOLINE, ILLINOIS (July 7, 2025) — WQPT will celebrate our country’s upcoming semi-quincentennial, through a new community initiative, “America 250.” Throughout the year they will be asking community members "What is your Civic Spark?," and inviting everyone to volunteer with them as they support the mission of other non-profit organizations in our community. Throughout the upcoming months, they will be airing/streaming many programs about America's history and culture, and what shaped it into the country we all love.
This programming will begin this month, with the premier of a new WQPT production, 250th Anniversary of the Army. To create this anthology, they explored their archives and rediscovered powerful interviews conducted throughout the years.
Dawn Schmitt, WQPT’s general manager shared, “It has always been very important to us to share the history of our military as well as personal stories of veterans and those currently serving.”
This fall, WQPT will be airing/streaming The American Revolution from Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein, and David Schmidt.
This six-part, twelve-hour series on America’s founding struggle, will present the story of the men and women of the Revolutionary generation, their humanity in victory and defeat, and the crisis that they lived through.
In September, WQPT will host a screening of excerpts from this new documentary series, followed by a discussion panel relating our region’s role as the western most battle site during the American Revolution.
In addition, WQPT is creating a new digital series. They are asking community members what is your civic spark, and what motivates you to give back to the community? New episodes of this series will be released weekly, so follow WQPT's YouTube channel to watch.
If you would like to share your civic spark, or volunteer with WQPT, please contact them at wqpt@wiu.edu.
Follow WQPT on social media for more information.
