Immerse yourself in the incredible history, culture, traditions, accomplishments, and contributions of the Black community in America with this list of programs that are airing on PBS KVIE, available to stream for free on the PBS App, or available to stream with PBS KVIE Passport. Discover, reflect, learn, and celebrate Black History Month not only during the month of February, but all year long.
Programs Airing on PBS KVIE
Rob on the Road: Rob at Home – Dr. Jonathan King
February 5 at 7:30PM
Meet South Lake Tahoe Community College Vice President Dr. Jonathan King, whose path leads from the horrors of segregation to a powerful message on education. The Morehouse and Harvard Graduate was born in the height of the civil rights moment and witnessed his pregnant mother beaten unconscious by police, a catalyst to the Albany Movement bringing Dr. Martin Luther King to young Jonathan’s family home.
American Masters: How it Feels to be Free
February 6 at 9PM
Explore the lives and trailblazing careers of iconic African American entertainers Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson, and Pam Grier, who changed American culture through their films, fashion, music, and politics.
ViewFinder: All American – The Walter Gordon Story
February 7 at 7PM
Discover the untold story of Walter Gordon, a UC Berkeley All-American football player, the first Black graduate of Cal’s Boalt Law School, and Berkeley’s first Black police officer. Gordon had a distinguished career in law enforcement, civil rights, social justice, and prison reform. President Eisenhower even appointed him to be the first governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Gospel Live! Presented by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
February 9 at 9PM
GOSPEL Live! Presented by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is a concert celebration honoring the legacy of Gospel music in America. As a companion to Gospel, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., secular and gospel artists sing their favorite gospel classics.
Amen! Music of the Black Church
February 9 at 10PM
Explore the authentic spiritual experience of African American gospel music with a live audience at the Second Baptist Church congregation in Bloomington, Indiana. Rev. Dr. Raymond Wise guides viewers on an educational and uplifting learning experience while leading the Indiana University African American Choral Ensemble in a performance of sacred music deriving from African traditions.
Gospel
February 12 & 13 at 9PM
Dig deep into the origin story of Black spirituality through sermon and song in the newest historical series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Musical styles come and go, but there’s one sound that has been a constant source of strength, courage, and wisdom from the pulpit to the choir lofts on any given Sunday. Gospel music has become the dominant form of African American religious expression and provided a soundtrack of healing and uplift to those at the front lines of protest and change.
American Masters: Miles Davis
February 16 at 9PM
Discover the man behind the legend. With full access to the Miles Davis Estate, the film features never-before-seen footage, including studio outtakes from his recording sessions, rare photos, and new interviews.
ViewFinder: African Americans – Civil Rights Era in California
February 21 at 7PM
African Americans struggled to receive necessities: equality in education, housing, and job opportunities. Examine those issues and the changes the Sacramento region experienced. Through historic images and personal stories, events such as the Rumford Housing Act and the Black Panther rally on the Capitol steps display the momentous achievements of the African American community.
Programs Available to Stream on the PBS App
Driving While Black
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.
Fannie Lou Hamer’s America: An America Reframed Special
Explore and celebrate the life of Mississippi sharecropper-turned-civil-rights-activist, Fannie Lou Hamer, known in the 1960s and ‘70s for her powerful speeches, soul-stirring songs, and impassioned pleas for equal rights.
KVIE Arts Showcase: Susheel Bibbs
Review the broad career of Susheel Bibbs, an actress, filmmaker, scholar, professor, author, and internationally renowned American opera singer.
Studio Sacramento: A Civil Rights Journey
Join Scott Syphax and Attorney Mark T. Harris to examine injustice and racism in the Sacramento region.
Programs Available to Stream on the PBS App with PBS KVIE Passport
PBS KVIE Passport is a benefit of station membership. Members gain extended access to more videos available to stream on the PBS App.
American Experience: The Blinding of Isaac Woodward
Discover the story of Isaac Woodard, a Black army sergeant on his way home to South Carolina after serving in WWII. He was pulled from a bus for arguing with the driver when the local chief of police savagely beat him, leaving him unconscious and permanently blind.
The Black Church: This is Our Story, This is Our Song
Explore the 400 year-old story of the Black church in America, all the way down to its bedrock role as the site of African American survival, grace, and endurance.
Muhammad Ali
Discover the story of one of the most indelible figures of the 20th century. Three-time heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali captivated millions of fans across the world with his mesmerizing combination of speed, grace, and power in the ring and charm and playful boasting outside of it.
Making Black America: Through the Grapevine
Chronicle the vast social networks and organizations created by and for Black people – beyond the reach of the “White gaze.” Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. sits with noted scholars, politicians, cultural leaders, and old friends to discuss this world behind the color line and what it looks like today.