Perhaps no one has been able to bring American history alive in the way that documentary filmmaker Ken Burns has over the past several decades, with blockbusters such as The Civil War, Baseball, and The Dust Bowl.

Now the Emmy Award winner is breathing fresh life into another American icon: the Gettysburg Address. On Tuesday, April 15, PBS will air Burns's documentary The Address.

In it, Burns blends historic Gettysburg footage with coverage of students from the Greenwood School in Vermont, capturing the spirit of Abraham Lincoln and of learning-challenged boys as they attempt to memorize what many consider to be the most notable words ever uttered.

I recently spoke on the phone with Burns, who was in