American Experience

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Schedule

Jesse Owens
S24 Ep7 | 52m 2s
Air Date: 04/30/12 | Expires: 07/02/24 | Rating: NR

His stunning triumph at the 1936 Olympics captivated the world and infuriated the Nazis.

LBJ on Unity: Kennedy vs. Johnson
2m 51s
Air Date: 12/31/06 | Rating: NR

Johnson was hesitant to take on the role of Vice President.

Nixon on Unity: the Silent Majority
1m 33s
Air Date: 12/31/06 | Rating: NR

President Nixon garnered approval with his "Silent Majority" speech in November 1969.

Reagan on the Economy: the 1982 Recession
2m 34s
Air Date: 12/31/06 | Rating: NR

In 1982, the economy under the Reagan Administration looked bleak.

Bush on Military Service: Bush vs. Reagan
1m 5s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

A comparison of George Bush and Ronald Reagan.

Bush on the Economy: a Sluggish Economy
1m 43s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

In the early 1990s, George H.W. Bush was faced with growing economic insecurity.

Bush on Unity: Ideological Housecleaning
2m 23s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

HW Bush fired most of Reagan's appointees to distance himself from his predecessor.

Carter and Crisis: Rescuing Hostages
2m 9s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Mounting pressure to rescue hostages in Iran led Jimmy Carter to order a rescue operation.

Carter and Ending War: the Camp David Accords
2m 18s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

What would come Carter's greatest foreign policy achievement nearly ended in failure.

Carter and Military Service: Nuclear Submarine Officer
1m 38s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Jimmy Carter learned punctuality, discipline, and order from his time in the Navy.

Carter and the Economy: Curbing Inflation
1m 58s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

In response to high inflation rates, Carter cut the budgets of social programs.

Carter on Lying: Campaigning on Honesty
51s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Carter campaigned on a platform on honesty at a time when the nation sorely needed it.

Carter on the Enemy: Inflation
1m 22s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Carter attempted to stop runaway inflation with a White House press conference in 1978.

Carter on the Enemy: Revolutionary Iran
1m 57s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Americans were held hostage at the US Embassy in Iran in 1979.

Carter’s First Lady: Rosalynn
1m 8s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Rosalynn Carter was a major figure in her husband's campaigns and policy meetings.

FDR and Abusing Power: Reshaping the Supreme Court
2m 21s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

FDR's attempt to reshape the Supreme Court drew criticism from both sides of the aisle.

FDR and Lying: Lend-Lease
2m 6s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Roosevelt's Lend-lease plan "was patent nonsense," according to historian Robert Dallek.

FDR on Crises: Depression Relief
2m 51s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

FDR used the power of the federal government to help suffering caused by the Depression.

FDR on Lying: Creating a Reason to Go to War
2m 9s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

"I am perfectly willing to... tell untruths if it will help win the war," FDR said.

FDR on Lying: Hiding a Disability
2m 22s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

The majority of the country did not know President Roosevelt was handicapped.

FDR on Policing the World: Hitler’s Threat
1m 53s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

In 1938, Roosevelt broadcast a personal appeal to Hitler.

FDR on the Enemy: Fear Itself
1m 38s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

FDR's inaugural address filled the American people with confidence in their new leader.

FDR on the Enemy: Imperial Japan
2m 49s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

On Dec 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. President Roosevelt was deeply shaken.

FDR’s First Lady: Eleanor
1m 32s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Eleanor Roosevelt traveled more than 40,000 miles during FDR's first year as president.

Going Negative? Bush Insiders and the 1988 Campaign
13m 13s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

A discussion of Bush's strategy against Michael Dukakis in the 1988 presidential election.

HW Bush and Age: Grandpa Bush
1m 52s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

In 1992, President HW Bush seemed increasingly out of touch.

HW Bush and Military Service: Combat Pilot
1m 32s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

George H.W. Bush was changed forever by his time as a combat pilot in World War II.

HW Bush on Policing the World: Opposing Iraqi Aggression
4m 46s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

In August 1990, H.W. Bush took a stand against Iraqi aggression against Kuwait.

HW Bush on Policing the World: War in the Persian Gulf
2m 21s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

HW Bush initiated a war in Iraq instead of imposing economic sanctions.

LBJ and Age: A Young Leader
1m 27s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

In 1954, Lyndon Johnson became the youngest Majority Leader ever, at 46 years old.

LBJ on Crises: Johnson’s War
2m 37s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Protests against the Vietnam War turned personal.

LBJ on Policing the World: Combatting Communism
2m 31s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

In 1964, American bombers in Vietnam demonstrated that LBJ was a committed anti-Communist.

LBJ on the Economy: War on Poverty
1m 56s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

President Johnson took on the economy by waging a "war on poverty."

LBJ’s First Lady: Lady Bird
55s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Lady Bird became the "perfect political wife" for LBJ.

Nixon and Abusing Power: Nixon’s Enemies List
2m 14s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

President Nixon kept an "enemies list" of those who criticized him.

Nixon and Abusing Power: The “Saturday Night Massacre”
2m 41s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Nixon fired special Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox in "The Saturday Night Massacre."

Nixon and Age: The Kennedy Style
2m 43s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

The Nixon-Kennedy debates would forever change the way Americans chose their Presidents.

Nixon and Crisis: Nixon’s Gamble
2m 46s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

In 1972, Nixon took a risk and responded to North Vietnamese aggression by bombing Hanoi.

Nixon on Ending a War: Carpet Bombing
2m 49s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Nixon decided to use force to end the Vietnam War with "the Christmas Bombing."

Reagan and Crisis: Assassination Attempt
2m 50s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

On March 30th, 1981, President Reagan was shot.

Reagan and Lying: Arms for Hostages
2m 1s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

In November 1986 Reagan admitted that arms had been shipped to Iran.

Reagan on Ending Wars: Ending the Cold War
2m 38s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

President Reagan needed to make concessions in order to reduce the nuclear threat.

Reagan on Policing the World: Aiding Freedom Fighters
2m 39s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

In 1981, Reagan aided the Polish workers movement.

Reagan on the Enemy: The Soviet Threat
2m 21s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

The delegations of Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan met in Geneva in 1985.

Reagan on Unity: Restoring Trust
2m 6s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Americans doubted that a former Hollywood "B" actor could manage the country.

Reagan’s Age
2m 5s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

As the 1984 election approached, many voters voiced their concerned with Reagan's age.

Reagan’s First Lady: Nancy
1m 35s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Nancy Reagan made things difficult at times with her stubbornness.

Tandem Parachute Jump: with the U.S. Army Golden Knights
2m 19s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

George H.W. Bush completes a ceremonial jump in his 83rd year.

Truman and Abusing Power: Drafting Striking Workers
2m 20s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

When railroad workers went on strike, Truman threatened to draft them into the army.

Truman and Unity: A Compromise Candidate
2m 7s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

The 1944 Democratic Convention focused on who would be nominated for the Vice Presidency.

Truman on Crises: Crisis in Korea
2m 45s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Truman interpreted a North Korean attack as direct aggression from the Soviet Union.

Truman on Ending a War: Atomic Bombs
2m 48s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Truman understood the repercussions of dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

Truman on Military Service: Captain Harry
2m 50s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Truman's leadership during WWII made his men look at him in a new light.

Truman on Military Service: Mr. U.S.A.
1m 32s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Truman stepped on the world stage with two of the century's greatest figures.

Truman on the Enemy: Communism
2m 9s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

After WWII, Truman watched most of Eastern Europe fall to the Communist "Iron Curtain."

Truman on the Enemy: Sizing up Stalin
1m 49s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

Truman's first impression of Joseph Stalin was favorable.

Truman, FDR and Age: A Careful Choice for Vice President
1m 17s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

The focus was on the Vice Presidency during the 1944 Democratic National Convention.

Truman’s First Lady: Bess
1m 10s
Air Date: 10/31/11 | Rating: NR

The spotlight did not appeal to first lady Bess Truman.

Wild West Preview
31s
Air Date: 01/09/12 | Rating: NR

In January 2012, American Experience presents the Wild West Collection.

This Season on American Experience
5m 50s
Air Date: 01/09/12 | Rating: NR

Our 2012 season is announced with a special video from Executive Producer Mark Samels.

Death and the Civil War Extended Promo
2m 15s
Air Date: 09/18/12 | Rating: NR

The 2-minute extended promo for Death and the Civil War, premiering on PBS Sept 18, 8/7c

Why we made Death & the Civil War
2m 59s
Air Date: 09/18/12 | Rating: NR

Executive Producer Mark Samels describes why no other TV series would tackle this subject.

Ric Burns on making Death & the Civil War
2m 59s
Air Date: 09/17/12 | Rating: NR

Producer Ric Burns discusses the intricacies of making Death and the Civil War.

Death and the Civil War – Preview
30s
Air Date: 09/17/12 | Rating: NR

Airs Monday, May 26, 2014 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Check your local listings.

Chapter 1 | Clinton, Part 2
10m 21s
Air Date: 07/28/20

Watch a preview of Part two of Clinton.

Billy the Kid Ballad
S24 Ep1 | 1m 58s
Air Date: 01/09/12 | Rating: NR

Mark Lee Gardner performs a ballad about Billy the Kid during his interview for the film.

Billy the Kid Chapter 1
S24 Ep1 | 9m 19s
Air Date: 01/09/12 | Rating: NR

The first chapter of Billy the Kid.

Train Ride through the Wild West
S24 Ep2 | 1m 32s
Air Date: 01/09/12 | Rating: NR

A time-lapse video from the "Billy the Kid" production team.

Billy the Kid – Preview
S24 Ep2 | 30s
Air Date: 01/09/12 | Rating: NR

First demonized by the lawman who killed him, the Kid was soon mythologized.

Ghost Riders: the Wild West
S24 Ep2 | 16s
Air Date: 01/16/12 | Rating: NR

A composite shot from the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in Hot Springs, SD.

River Dawn: the Wild West
S24 Ep2 | 23s
Air Date: 01/16/12 | Rating: NR

This time-lapse shot was taken at 5 am in -7 degree weather by the Custer production team.

Sunset: the Wild West
S24 Ep2 | 37s
Air Date: 01/16/12 | Rating: NR

A time-lapse video taken by the "Custer's Last Stand" production team on June 28, 2011.

Custer Behind the Scenes
S24 Ep2 | 2m 24s
Air Date: 01/16/12 | Rating: NR

A behind the scenes look at "Custer's Last Stand," premiering January 17, 2012.

Custer’s Last Stand Preview
S24 Ep2 | 30s
Air Date: 01/16/12 | Rating: NR

Preview of Custer's Last Stand, premiering on American Experience January 17, 2012.

Custer’s Last Stand Chapter 1
S24 Ep2 | 14m 15s
Air Date: 01/16/12 | Rating: NR

The first chapter of Custer's Last Stand, premiering January 17 at 8/7C.

Clinton Behind the Scenes
S24 Ep3 | 2m 59s
Air Date: 02/19/12 | Rating: NR

A behind the scenes look at American Experience's newest Presidential biography.

Clinton Extended Preview
S24 Ep3 | 3m 45s
Air Date: 02/19/12 | Rating: NR

An extended preview of "Clinton," rebroadcasting May 8 and 15, 2012.

Clinton’s Carson Appearance
S24 Ep3 | 2m 59s
Air Date: 02/19/12 | Rating: NR

In 1988, Clinton bungled the biggest speech of his young career.

Clinton’s First Lady: Hillary
S24 Ep3 | 2m 26s
Air Date: 02/19/12 | Rating: NR

First Lady Hillary Clinton was unsatisfied by the traditional role of the First Lady.

Clinton and Lying: the Lewinsky Scandal
S24 Ep3 | 2m 11s
Air Date: 02/19/12 | Rating: NR

Clinton sought advice whether to lie about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky.

Clinton and Crisis: The Oklahoma City Bombing
S24 Ep3 | 2m 47s
Air Date: 02/19/12 | Rating: NR

Clinton's helped the nation's grief after the Oklahoma City Bombing.

Clinton and the Economy: Battle over the Budget
S24 Ep3 | 2m 50s
Air Date: 02/19/12 | Rating: NR

Clinton attempted to take control of the budget from Congress through "triangulation."

Clinton and Unity: Passing the Budget Bill
S24 Ep3 | 2m 55s
Air Date: 02/19/12 | Rating: NR

The vote on the budget bill came down to a Freshman Democrat, Marjorie Margolis Mezvinsky.

Trailer | Clinton | American Experience
S24 Ep3 | 27s
Air Date: 07/21/20

A president who rose from a broken childhood to a successful politician in modern America.

Clinton Chapter 1
S24 Ep3 | 8m 24s
Air Date: 07/21/20 | Rating: NR

Watch a preview of Clinton.

Amish at Work: Harvesting
S24 Ep5 | 2m 29s
Air Date: 02/27/12 | Rating: NR

This 1940s video shows the Amish Huyard family harvesting using traditional methods.

Candy Makers
S24 Ep5 | 2m 55s
Air Date: 02/27/12 | Rating: NR

This 1940s footage shows Pennsylvania Dutch rolling and molding hard candy.

Cradling Wheat
S24 Ep5 | 1m 47s
Air Date: 02/27/12 | Rating: NR

This 1940s video shows a Pennsylvania Dutch family working without modern machinery.

The Amish: Nickel Mines Clip
S24 Ep5 | 10m 15s
Air Date: 02/27/12 | Rating: NR

What does the future hold for a community whose existence is so rooted in the past?

The Amish – Preview
S24 Ep5 | 30s
Air Date: 02/27/12 | Rating: NR

A preview of "The Amish," an intimate portrait of contemporary Amish faith and life.

The Amish Chapter 1
S24 Ep5 | 12m 30s
Air Date: 02/27/12 | Rating: NR

Chapter 1 of The Amish, an intimate portrait of contemporary Amish faith and life.

Grand Coulee Dam – Preview
S24 Ep6 | 30s
Air Date: 04/02/12 | Rating: NR

Airs Tuesday, February 18, 2014 at 8/7c. Check your local listings.

Grand Coulee Dam Chapter 1
S24 Ep6 | 13m 16s
Air Date: 04/02/12 | Rating: NR

Premiering April 3, 2012 at 8/7c. Check your local listings.

Grand Coulee Dam’s Open Spillways
S24 Ep6 | 15s
Air Date: 04/02/12 | Rating: NR

This 15-second time-lapse video shows the Grand Coulee Dam's spillway closing.

Diverting the Columbia River
S24 Ep6 | 2m 40s
Air Date: 04/03/12 | Rating: NR

The biggest challenge in building Grand Coulee Dam was diverting the flow of the Columbia.

Grand Coulee Dam: Engineering Challenges
S24 Ep6 | 2m 46s
Air Date: 04/03/12 | Rating: NR

The engineering challenges became apparent as soon as construction got underway.

Grand Coulee Dam: Pouring the Concrete
S24 Ep6 | 1m 56s
Air Date: 04/03/12 | Rating: NR

It took millions of cubic yards of concrete to build Grand Coulee Dam.

The Columbia Basin Project
S24 Ep6 | 1m 5s
Air Date: 04/03/12 | Rating: NR

In the spring of 1952, work was finally underway on the Columbia Basin Project.

The Impact of Grand Coulee Dam
S24 Ep6 | 1m 13s
Air Date: 04/03/12 | Rating: NR

Grand Coulee Dam was dedicated in front of a crowd of 8,000 on March 22, 1941.

Jesse Owens Preview
S24 Ep7 | 30s
Air Date: 04/30/12 | Rating: NR

His stunning triumph at the 1936 Olympics captivated the world and infuriated the Nazis.

Jesse Owens, Chapter 1
S24 Ep7 | 10m 28s
Air Date: 04/30/12 | Rating: NR

His stunning triumph at the 1936 Olympics captivated the world and infuriated the Nazis.

Jesse Owens Behind the Scenes
S24 Ep7 | 2m 25s
Air Date: 04/30/12 | Rating: NR

A behind the scenes look at American Experience's biography "Jesse Owens."

Jesse Owens in Hitler’s Germany
S24 Ep7 | 2m 7s
Air Date: 04/30/12 | Rating: NR

Jesse Owens' victories at the 1936 Berlin Olympics were an affront to Nazi beliefs.

A Hero’s Welcome?
S24 Ep7 | 1m 35s
Air Date: 04/30/12 | Rating: NR

After victories at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Jesse Owens returned to a segregated America.

The Track: A Great Equalizer?
S24 Ep7 | 2m 20s
Air Date: 04/30/12 | Rating: NR

Jesse Owens' success on the track didn't translate to fair treatment off the track.

The Don’t Miss List – May 2024

Each month we have a variety of amazing programs, which can make it hard to decide what to watch! We’ve compiled a ranking of programs airing this month with number one being an absolute MUST watch.

The Don’t Miss List – April 2024

The Don’t Miss List – March 2024

The Don’t Miss List – February 2024

Celebrate Pride Month

June is Pride Month and we are excited to celebrate and recognize the LGBTQIA+ community not only this month, but all year long.

Celebrate AAPI Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Join us as we celebrate the impact that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made on this country’s past, present, and future this month and all year long.