The Bonner County Historical Society is hosting a presentation of the film From Sea to Shining Sea: Katharine Lee Bates and the Story of America the Beautiful, which explores the life and legacy of the poet, educator, and social reformer who wrote this song for our nation. It explores her life and the song through the lenses of justice, women’s history, and civic ideals. While “America the Beautiful” is often treated as a patriotic anthem, it is perhaps one of our most misunderstood national songs. As Brandi Carlile recently observed before performing it at the Super Bowl, it is “more of a prayer than a boast.” The film invites audiences to reconsider the song as a civic vision — one rooted in moral courage, inclusion, and democratic responsibility." The 40-minute film will be followed by a post-screening discussion with director John de Graaf.