LibGuides: Utopian Movement: Media

Featured Streaming Media

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Ken Burns: The Shakers—Hands to Work, Hearts to God (59:51) A poignant film by Ken Burns portrays 200 years of Shaker life in America, guided by recollections of three surviving members and archival material. Explore every aspect of a strange, noble sect that produced some of the greatest architecture and furniture in U.S. history. This story of devotion, invention, ingenuity, simple crafts, and dance was filmed at existing Shaker locations, with music re-created from authentic songs.
The Shakers: I Don't Want to Be Remembered as a Chair - Full Video (49:01) This unique and touching program opens the doors of America’s last Shaker compound, where the religious sect’s nine surviving members lead lives of equality, fraternity, decency, and—most notably—simplicity. That simplicity is reflected in Shaker furniture and basketry—items which now sell for thousands of dollars at auctions throughout the world. At one antique auction, hucksters peddle Shaker furniture to the rich and famous, as the Shakers ponder their legacy. Will they be remembered as austere people—pious and charitable and filled with wisdom—or simply as the makers of priceless ornaments?