Celebrate Black History Month on Valley PBS!
The month of February remembers and honors the important role African Americans play in the story of our country. All month, across the United States, schools and communities organize to learn, remember, & celebrate Black History and the African American Culture.
In honor of Black History Month, Valley PBS is proud to premiere an intimate two-part series hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song and many more new and exciting programs throughout February.
Honoring Black History Month on Valley PBS!
MASTERPIECE
The Long Song
Sunday, February 7 & 14 - 10:00 PM
This three-part miniseries based on Andrea Levy’s award-winning novel about the end of slavery in Jamaica follows July (Tamara Lawrance), an indomitable, young slave who works on a sugarcane plantation with her detestable mistress, Caroline Mortimer (Hayley Atwell). Their lives change with the arrival of a new overseer, Robert Goodwin (Jack Lowden) who sets out to improve life on the plantation.
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Voice Of Freedom
Monday, February 15 - 9:00 PM
Explore the fascinating life of celebrated singer Marian Anderson. In 1939, after being barred from performing at Constitution Hall because she was Black, she triumphed at the Lincoln Memorial in what became a landmark moment in American history.
FINDING YOUR ROOTS
Write My Name in the Book of Life
Tuesday, February 16 - 8:00 PM
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps musician Pharrell Williams and filmmaker Kasi Lemmons uncover extraordinarily rare first-person accounts of their enslaved ancestors.
The Black Church: This Is Our Story. This Is Our Song.
Part 1: Tuesday, February 16 - 9:00 PM
Part 2: Wednesday, February 17 - 9:00 PM
Part 2: (Encore) Tuesday, February 23 - 9:00 PM
An intimate four-hour series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song will explore the 400-year-old story of the black church in America, the changing nature of worship spaces, and the men and women who shepherded them from the pulpit, the choir loft, and church pews.
INDEPENDENT LENS
Mr. SOUL!
Monday, February 22 - 10:00 PM
Celebrate SOUL!, the public television variety show that shared Black culture with the nation. Ellis Haizlip developed SOUL! in 1968 as one of the first platforms to promote the vibrancy of the Black Arts Movement. Its impact continues to this day.
Available On Demand With Valley PBS Passport
AMERICAN MASTERS
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me
The first major film documentary to examine Sammy Davis, Jr.'s vast talent and his journey for identity through the shifting tides of civil rights and racial progress during 20th century America.
PBS NEWSHOUR
Lost recordings uncover John Coltrane’s timeless talent
The lost recordings of jazz titan John Coltrane have been rediscovered and shared with the world. Jeffrey Brown visits the jazz great’s recording studio where the mystery began to take a listen to "Both Directions at Once: The Lost Album," which features Coltrane at the height of his powers.
A KEN BURNS FILM
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt Robinson rose from humble origins to cross baseball's color line and become one of the most beloved men in America. A fierce integrationist, Robinson used his immense fame to speak out against the discrimination he saw on and off the field, angering fans, the press, and even teammates who had once celebrated him for turning the other cheek.
Richard Pryor: Icon
Richard Pryor was one of the first black men ever on television, he pioneered a new brand of humor and he was a hit. This show defines his lasting impact on comedy and culture, often in his own words, showing us why he is an :ICON.
MARK TWAIN PRIZE
Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize
An outstanding lineup of entertainers gathers in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall to salute Dave Chappelle, recipient of the 22nd annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.
FINDING YOUR ROOTS
Black Like Me
Three African-American guests delve deep into their family trees, discovering unexpected stories that challenge our assumptions about black history.
The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross
This series chronicles the full sweep of African American history, from the origins of slavery on the African continent right up to today when America remains a nation deeply divided by race.
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise And Fall Of Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson was the first African American Heavyweight Champion of the World. His dominance over his white opponents spurred furious debates and race riots in the early 20th century.
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Program Guide
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