CNN Original Series This Land, a new weekly series exploring the history of America's expansion through six defining frontiers, will premiere on Sunday, June 7 at 9pm ET/PT. Produced by October Films, the series will air two episodes weekly on Sundays at 9pm and 10pm ET/PT on CNN. Episodes will be available to stream the next day at CNN.com/watch and on the CNN app.
Timed to commemorate the country's 250th anniversary, This Land explores how the United States expanded from a fragile experiment along the Atlantic coast into a nation spanning an entire continent, revealing extraordinary sacrifices and untold personal accounts that dramatically reframe the story. Powerful, personal interviews with descendants of historical figures who lived through these pivotal moments offer direct, emotional connections between past and present. Through these voices, the series examines how ambition, conflict and power redrew the map of America, and how those legacies are still felt today.
Across six episodes, This Land traces the sweeping impact of the Louisiana Purchase, follows the perilous push west to California, and explores the ripple effects of the Lewis and Clark expedition. It then moves to the fight over Texas and the shifting U.S.-Mexico border, examines the high-stakes gamble to acquire Alaska, and charts the rise of New York into a global powerhouse. Throughout, descendants of key figures from explorers and politicians to Indigenous leaders and immigrant laborers offer intimate, firsthand perspectives that connect these turning points to the present day.
"At its core, This Land is about connection between past and present," said Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent, CNN Originals and creative development for CNN Worldwide. "It brings history to life through the voices of those still connected to it, making these stories feel urgent, personal and very much alive."
"In making This Land, we set out to redefine America's origin story through the seismic decisions that drive its extraordinary growth and their reverberations, then and now," said executive producer for October Films Matt Robins. "Seeing living descendants of the people who were at the crux of great, and often violent, change speak to their shared past has proved humbling and enlightening."
As a sponsor of This Land, Ancestry, the global leader in family history, tapped into their unparalleled collection of historical records and public family trees to identify and connect the production with various descendants featured throughout the series. Ancestry tools can help everyday people–including those featured in each episode–discover how their family made their mark on the U.S. over the past 250 years.
This series builds on CNN Original Series' tradition of in-depth, immersive storytelling that explores iconic chapters in American history, expanding a premium slate of award-winning programming available on the CNN app.
Executive producers for the series are Showrunner Fred Hepburn, Matt Robins, Jos Cushing and John Marks for October Films; Amy Entelis, Lyle Gamm and Katie Hinman for CNN.
This Land will be available on demand beginning Monday, June 8 to CNN's streaming subscribers via CNN.com/Watch and CNN connected TV and mobile apps. It will stream live for pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN connected TV and mobile apps on Sunday, June 7.
