A New Series From the Obamas Aims to Teach Civics Through Music

Michelle and Barack Obama announced that they have executive produced and Netflix will stream We the People, a 10-episode television series aimed at educating children on United States civics lessons, starting on July 4 of this year.

Across all three-minute music videos, the Obamas have enlisted artists such as Grammy and Academy Award winner H.E.R., Andra Day, Janelle Monáe, rapper Cordae, rock singer Adam Lambert, Frozen and Frozen 2 composers Robert and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Hamilton‘s Daveed Diggs, Brittany Howard, In the Heights and Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, Brandi Carlile, KYLE, Bebe Rexha, , and Biden inaugural poet Amanda Gorman to perform original songs and compositions that will soundtrack each narrative.

Episodes were directed by Peter Ramsey, Trisha Gum, Victoria Vincent, Benjy Brooke, Mabel Ye, Tim Rauch, Jorge R. Gutierrez, Daron Nefcy, Everett Downing, and Kendra Ryan. Each episode will offer lessons on basics of U.S. citizenship and rights, evoking the beloved Schoolhouse Rock series that originally aired on ABC in the 1970s.

The show is created by Doc McStuffins writer Chris Nee, who will executive produce alongside Michelle, 57, and Barack, 59, their Higher Ground Productions company, and Kenya Barris (Black-ish), Tonia Davis (The Greatest Showman), and Priya Swaminathan.

Producers include Ada Chiaghana, Erynn Sampson, and Peedee Shindell.

In 2018, the former president and first lady made a pact with Netflix to produce documentaries and features through their company, Higher Ground Productions.

“American Factory,” the first documentary from the production company, earned a best documentary nomination at the Academy Awards in 2020.

Earlier this year, the critically acclaimed “Crip Camp,” also produced by Higher Ground, was nominated for best documentary feature.

Ahead of We the People‘s July 4 premiere date on Netflix, the show will premiere at a free screening in the DOCS Talks section of the American Film Institute‘s DOCS film festival on Thursday, June 24. Peter Ramsey, Trisha Gum, Victoria Vincent, Benjy Brooke, Mabel Ye, Tim Rauch, Jorge Gutierrez, Daron Nefcy, Everett Downing, and Kendra Ryan will all serve as directors for the show.