We’re celebrating the United States of America all month long with programs that showcase the historical figures, the culture, the outdoors, the iconic symbols and the travel that makes up the melting pot of the country we call home.
Learn more about the revolutionary life of Benjamin Franklin in Ken Burns’s film “Benjamin Franklin”; dive into “America: The Land We Live In” where you’ll rediscover America’s hidden treasures; take a trip with Baratunde Thurston to see how we work, play and interact with the outdoors; visit the Statue of Liberty and learn why it has been a symbol of hope and refuge for generations of immigrants; and finally, hit the road to share the inspiring stories of resilient Americans who have overcome extraordinary odds in their own lives, found purpose in serving their communities and turned their loss into inspiring accomplishments.
HOW TO WATCH
Members who contribute a tax-deductible gift of at least $5 per month, or an annual gift of $60 or more, are eligible for Arkansas PBS Passport – an extended, on-demand library of your favorite PBS shows, films and specials.
As a reminder, you can watch anywhere, anytime on myarkansaspbs.org, or by using the PBS App, available on your TV, phone or tablet.
Historical Figures
“Benjamin Franklin” - Ken Burns’s two-part, four-hour documentary, “Benjamin Franklin,” explores the revolutionary life of one of the 18th century’s most consequential and compelling personalities, whose work and words unlocked the mystery of electricity and helped create the United States.
“Hemingway” - Ken Burns and Lynn Novick explore the life and work of the legendary writer and his enduring influence on literature and culture. Additionally, learn more about Ernest Hemingway’s time in Arkansas with a series of Arkansas PBS-created videos capturing his time in The Natual State.
"Frank Lloyd Wright"
"Mark Twain"
"The Roosevelts"
"Thomas Jefferson"
American Culture
“America: The Land We Live In” - Take a modern-day adventure to rediscover America’s hidden treasures and forgotten national wonders and rich history through the lens of a 19th-century travelog called Picturesque America. Follow the clues in the epic tales to uncover the “then and now” of each 150-year-old location, while also discovering the culture, history and beauty in each.
“Baseball” - The story of “Baseball” is the story of America. It is an epic overflowing with heroes and hopefuls, scoundrels and screwballs. It is a saga spanning the quest for racial justice, the clash of labor and management, the transformation of popular culture and the unfolding of the national pastime.
“Lidia Celebrates America: Flavors That Define Us” - Chef and Italian immigrant Lidia Bastiniach shares stories of first-, second- and third-generation Americans shaping the shifting definition of what it means to be an American. See how immigrants work to figure out how much of their culture to keep and what to leave behind and see how they share their heritage with the new country they now call home.
"American Anthems"
"American Experience Ruthless: Monopoly's Secret History"
"American Masters Hopper: An American Love Story"
"Black Church"
"Craft in America"
"Country Music"
"Great American Recipe"
"Jazz"
"No Passport Required"
"PBS American Portrait"
"The Tenth Inning"
"United in Song"
The Great Outdoors
“American Buffalo” - The dramatic story of America’s national mammal, which sustained the lives of Native people for untold generations, being driven to the brink of extinction, before an unlikely collection of people rescues it from disappearing forever. Ken Burns recounts the tragic collision of two opposing views of the natural world — and the unforgettable characters who pointed the nation in a different direction.
“America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston” - Take a new journey across the US to find how we work, play and interact with the outdoors.
"Great Yellowstone Thaw"
"The National Parks: America’s Best Idea"
Iconic Symbols
“American Experience Riveted: The History of Jeans” - “Riveted: The History of Jeans” reveals the fascinating and surprising story of the iconic American garment. They’re more than just a pair of pants — America’s tangled past is woven deeply into the indigo fabric. From its roots in slavery to the Wild West, youth culture, hippies, high fashion and hip-hop, jeans are the fabric on which the history of American ideology and politics are writ large.
“Iconic America” - In this new eight-episode documentary series, David Rubenstein explores America’s 400-year history through a close examination of iconic national symbols such as the Hollywood Sign, Fenway Park, American cowboys and the Statue of Liberty: indelible artifacts, places and archetypes. Each episode tells the story of an American symbol to reveal its origins, significance and the arc of its resonance.
“The Statue of Liberty” - For more than 100 years, the Statue of Liberty has been a symbol of hope and refuge for generations of immigrants. In this compelling and provocative portrait of the statue, Ken Burns explores both the history of America’s premier symbol and the meaning of liberty itself.
"10 Buildings that Changed America"
"10 Homes that Changed America"
"10 Monuments That Changed America"
"10 Modern Marvels That Changed America"
"10 Parks that Changed America"
"10 Towns that Changed America"
"10 Streets That Changed America"
"Brooklyn Bridge"
"The White House: Inside Story"
Travel
“Lidia Celebrates America: Overcoming the Odds” - In this hour-long “Lidia Celebrates America” special, Lidia travels from big cities to small pockets of rural America, both in person and virtually, to share the inspiring stories of a diverse group of resilient Americans who have overcome extraordinary odds in their own lives, found purpose in serving their communities and turned their loss into inspiring accomplishments.
"8 Days: To the Moon and Back"
"A Few Great Bakeries"
"Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale"
"Charlie Russell's Old West"
"Circus"
"Constitution USA with Peter Sagal"
"Fort Niagara: A Struggle for a Continent"
"Great Muslim American Road Trip"
"Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip"
HOW TO WATCH
Get extended, on-demand access to more of your favorite PBS, shows, films and specials by signing up for Arkansas PBS Passport.
As a reminder, you can watch anywhere, anytime on myarkansaspbs.org, or using the PBS App, available on your TV, phone or tablet.