Explore the transformative years following the American Civil War, when the nation struggled to rebuild itself in the face of profound loss, massive destruction and revolutionary social change. The twelve years that composed the post-war Reconstruction era (1865-77) witnessed a seismic shift in the meaning and makeup of our democracy. This four-part series is hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., host of the PBS show Finding Your Roots.
Reconstruction: America After the Civil War is streaming now on the PBS Video app.
The aftermath of the Civil War was bewildering, exhilarating . . . and terrifying.
Discover how the advent of the automobile brought new mobility and freedom for African Americans but also exposed them to discrimination and deadly violence, and how that history resonates today.
Driving While Black: Race, Space and Mobility in America is streaming now on the PBS Video app.
Follow the six-decade journey of the extraordinary performer as her sublime voice transforms the tragedies and troubles of her life into joy. Interviews include Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Smokey Robinson and Fitzgerald’s son, Ray Brown Jr.
Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things is streaming now on the PBS Video app.
Discover documentary films, arts performances and more, highlighting arts & culture, curated to celebrate Black History Month.
This powerful documentary film challenges one of Americans' most cherished assumptions: the belief that slavery in this country ended with the Emancipation Proclamation. The film tells how even as chattel slavery came to an end in 1865, thousands of African Americans were pulled back into forced labor with shocking force and brutality.
Slavery by Another Nameis streaming now on the PBS Video app.
Explore the story of a humble Philadelphia clerk who risked his life shepherding runaway slaves to freedom in the tumultuous years leading up to America's Civil War. William Still was the director of a complex network of abolitionists, sympathizers and safe houses that stretched from Philadelphia to what is now Southern Ontario.
Underground Railroad: The William Still Story is streaming now on the PBS Video app.
On Easter Sunday, 1939, contralto Marian Anderson stepped up to a microphone in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Inscribed on the walls of the monument behind her were the words “all men are created equal.”
Voice of Freedom is streaming now on the PBS Video app.
American Masters
Discover the international singer who captivated royalty in Europe and defied the conscience of 1939 America. Watch rare archival footage and hear audio recordings exploring her life and career from the Metropolitan Opera to the State Department.
