Arizona PBS is celebrating Black History Month by bringing you a lineup of new diverse shows and documentaries to celebrate Black excellence all February long.
Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
Season 5 is offering 10 new episodes that give a look into the historical backgrounds of many well known celebrities. Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. will uncover the fascinating ancestral of trailblazers such as Michael Strahan, Joe Madison, S. Epatha Merkerson, Michael K. Williams and many more. Read more and watch episodes here.
Austin City Limits “Buddy Guy/August Greene”
Saturday, Feb. 2, at 11 p.m.
The perfect combination of hip-hop and blues. Legendary blues artist Buddy Guy performs songs from his latest album “The Blues Is Alive and Well.” Supergroup August Greene also take the stage to perform songs from their new self-titled debut album.
Antiques Roadshow “Celebrating Black Americana”
Monday, Feb. 4, at 8 p.m.
This special episode honors Black History Month that features a beauty book written by the first black female millionaire Madam C.J. Walker and an 1821 U.S. citizenship certificate from George Barker. Host Mark L. Walberg travels with to Kansas City, Missouri with Leila Dunbar to visit the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Independent Lens “Black Memorabilia”
Monday, Feb. 4, at 11:30 p.m.
Meet the people who reclaim black memorabilia in places ranging from the Brooklyn to China. The historical objects are preserved to embrace the true antiquity of them.
With Infinite Hope: MLK and the Civil Rights Movement
Sunday, Feb. 10, at 1 p.m.
Look back at the life, leadership, and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Follow his career from his hiring at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and leadership of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, through his death on April 4th, 1968 in Memphis. The documentary includes interviews with people who participated in well-known events of the Civil Rights Movement: the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Freedom Rides, the Birmingham Children’s March, Selma, and the Memphis Sanitation Workers Strike.
Independent Lens “Hale County This Morning, This Evening”
Monday, Feb. 11, 11:30 p.m.
Travel to Hale County, Alabama to get an intimate look into the life of a community at the center of America’s Black Belt.
American Masters “Sammy Davis, Jr.: I’ve Gotta Be Me”
Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 8 p.m.
Take a look at the extraordinary entertainer Sammy Davis Jr.’s journey through the 20th centuries racial progress and the shifting tides of the Civil Rights movement. Stars like Whoopi Goldberg, Kim Novak, Jerry Lewis and many more recount the voyage of the popular Black entertainer. Read more here.
American Masters “Charley Pride: I’m Just Me”
Sunday, Feb. 24, at 2 p.m.
Travel back to the complicated past of the American south to see the life of country music legend Charley Pride. Brought up in segregated Mississippi, Pride defined odds and used art as a way to push his way through the injustices of the time.
Plus, look for these Black history-related programs coming later this spring:
Reconstruction: America After the Civil War
Tuesdays, April 9 and 16, at 8 p.m.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. presents the history of 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.
Independent Lens “Charm City”
Monday, April 22, at 9 p.m.
Recently honored with a spot on the Best Documentary Feature Oscar shortlist, “Charm City” introduces a group of Baltimore citizens, police and government officials as they cope with the consequences of three years of unparalleled violence. With grit, fury and compassion, they’re trying to reclaim their city’s future.
Boss: The Black Experience in Business
Tuesday, April 23, at 7 p.m.
Learn about the untold story of African American entrepreneurship, where skill, industriousness, ingenuity and sheer courage in the face of overwhelming odds provide the backbone of this nation’s economic and social growth. From acclaimed filmmaker Stanley Nelson.
And online, be sure to check out:
SAY It Loud
Available all of February on PBS Digital Studios on YouTube
A one of kind digital series is a combination of a social critique, history and talk-show about the impact of Black culture. The series will cover everything from social media trends such as #BlackGirlMagic to discussing inventions unknowingly made by Black people. Hosted by Emmy-nominated writer and “Ask a Slave” creater Azie Dungey and Youtube star Evelyn Ngugi from “Evelyn from the Internets.” Take a first look at the show here.
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