Finding your Roots
Artistic Roots
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of director Spike Lee and actor Kristin Chenoweth, meeting ancestors whose creativity built their families.
Tuesday, February 24, at 7:00 p.m.
Marathon
Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History
Watch a marathon of all parts of Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History — a four-part series tracing the rich, complex relationship between Black and Jewish Americans — defined by solidarity and strained by division. Drawn together by racism and antisemitism, they forged civic and cultural bonds, especially during the civil rights era. The series explores both the challenges and enduring promise of that alliance.
Saturday, February 28, starting at 1:00 p.m.
60s and 70s Soul Celebration
The legends of 1960s and 1970s soul music perform their biggest hits; acts include The Temptations, James Brown, Patti LaBelle, The Chi-Lites, The Spinners, Sam Moore and more.
Saturday, February 28, at 7:00 p.m.
Meet Barbara Jordan: a civil rights icon whose powerful voice masked a complex private life.
The story of the first 14 African American legislators to serve in TN's General Assembly.
The history of Black land ownership in Tennessee is one of trials and triumphs.
Discover the extraordinary life of poet, philosopher and music visionary Sun Ra.
The untold story of King Records, the underdog label that transformed American music and culture.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. introduces musicians Flea and Lizzo to their inspiring ancestors.
Episode Three of BLACK AND JEWISH AMERICA traces Black and Jewish work in Civil Rights.
Episode Four of BLACK AND JEWISH AMERICA traces the Black - Jewish alliance since the 1970s.
Episode Two of BLACK AND JEWISH AMERICA reveals Black & Jewish work in art & culture.
George Larrimore hosts A Conversation with Dr. LaSimba Gray.
Discover how a man born into slavery became one of the nation’s most influential leaders.
Episode One of BLACK AND JEWISH AMERICA explores overlapping struggles and forming bonds.
Meet the woman who repeatedly risked her life and freedom to liberate others from slavery.
The little-known story of the deadly 1898 race massacre and coup d’etat in Wilmington, NC.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of basketball stars Brittney Griner and Chris Paul.
Discover music icon Roberta Flack’s rise to stardom and triumphs over racism and sexism.
Slavery by Another Name explores the new forms of slavery after the Civil War.
Explore the life and legacy of the nation’s first African American Supreme Court justice.
The syncopated story of funk music, from its roots to the explosion of '70s urban funk and beyond.
Discover a time when Major League Baseball was born, but the color line divided the field.
Making Black America
Hour one details how African Americans have created spaces for survival, pleasure and joy.
Hour two explores the nation within a nation built by Black Americans out of necessity.
Hour three uncovers vast social networks created by Black Americans to defeat Jim Crow.
From Black Power to Black Twitter hour four reveals safe spaces created by Black America.
The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song
Host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the roots of African American religion.
Discover how the Black church expanded to address social inequality.
Great Migrations: A People on the Move
Episode one of Great Migrations covers the first wave of the Great Migration (1910-1940).
Episode 2 of Great Migrations explores the second wave of the Great Migration (1940-1970).
Episode 3 of Great Migrations explores impact of Black Americans' reverse migration South.
Episode 4 of Great Migrations tells the story of African and Caribbean immigration to the U.S.
Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise
Black America Since MLK looks at the last five decades of African American history.
Black America Since MLK looks at the last five decades of African American history.
Jackie Robinson
Watch Part I of Jackie Robinson, directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon.
Watch Part II of Jackie Robinson, directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns and David McMahon.
Muhammad Ali
Cassius Clay rises from boastful amateur boxer to contender for the heavyweight title.
Muhammad Ali is banished from boxing for refusing induction into the Army.
Muhammad Ali returns from exile and twice faces his greatest rival, Joe Frazier.
Muhammad Ali shocks the world by defeating George Foreman and becomes world famous.
Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
Discover the factors that led to the birth of Hip Hop and its first hit in 1982.
Explore the 1980s and the birth of Hip Hop as social commentary.
Experience the 1990s and the unstoppable rise in the popularity of Hip Hop.
From successful artists to changing history, follow the global evolution of Hip Hop.
Journeys of Black Mathematicians
Black mathematicians emerged from segregation and prejudice to leadership in education and research.
This episode traces the role of HBCUs and mentors in growing the community of Black mathematicians.
Africa's Great Civilizations
Uncover the origins of man and early human society in Africa with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. charts the rise and impact of Christianity and Islam across Africa.
Uncover complex trade networks & educational institutions in north and west Africa.
Explores the great African cities and their wealth and industry.
Explores the impact of the Atlantic world and the transatlantic slave trade.
Explore the dynamism of 19th century Africa and the "scramble” for its riches.
Reconstruction: America After the Civil War
The aftermath of the Civil War was bewildering, exhilarating . . . and terrifying.
Post-Civil War America was a new world.
Hour three of the series examines the years 1877-1896
Racist imagery saturated popular culture and Southern propaganda manipulated the story.