Juneteenth is an annual commemoration, celebrated June 19, of the finality of slavery in the U.S. after the ending of the Civil War, which has been celebrated by African Americans since the late 1800s. Celebrate alongside us with programming commemorating the life of African Americans in the month of June.
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 using the PBS App, available on your TV, phone or tablet.
Celebration
“Celebrating Arkansas: Holiday Traditions” - Within the larger episode of “Celebrating Arkansas: Holiday Traditions” see the documentary short “Wilmar June Dinner.” “Wilmar June Dinner” follows the story of the small town of Wilmar and its role in holding one of the longest-running Juneteenth celebrations in Arkansas history. June Dinner in Wilmar has been celebrated since the late 1800s and this documentary short celebrates and explores the history and relationships that draw people back to Wilmar year after year.
“The Express Way with Dulé Hill” - “The Express Way” with Dulé Hill is a premium documentary series that explores the power of the arts. Led by renowned actor, dancer, and singer, Dulé Hill, the series captures artists’ stories from across America, celebrating community, humanity and the transformative potential of creative expression.
Black Ancestry
“Finding Your Roots: Rising from the Ashes” - Henry Louis Gates, Jr., traces the roots of actors Brian Cox and Viola Davis—two people who overcame traumatic childhoods, revealing that they aren’t the first in their families to overcome odds. From workhouses in Scotland to slave plantations in South Carolina, long-lost records reveal the stories of ancestors who laid the groundwork for Brian and Viola’s success by fighting so hard to survive.
“Finding Your Roots: Write My Name in the Book of Life” - Henry Louis Gates, Jr., helps musician Pharrell Williams and filmmaker Kasi Lemmons uncover extraordinary, rare first-person accounts of their enslaved ancestors.
“Finding Your Roots: The Brick Wall Falls” - Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps musician Dionne Warwick and actor Danielle Brooks break down the barriers imposed by slavery to learn the names and stories of their ancestors who endured bondage. Facing one of the greatest genealogical challenges, Gates uses his detective skills to piece together the lives of women and men who survived unimaginable ordeals—but emerged to forge families that thrived.
“NOVA: Lee and Liza’s Family Tree” - With the help of scientists and genealogists, filmmaker Byron Hurt and his family members search for their ancestors. Follow their journey as they hunt for new details of a history long obscured by the enduring legacy of slavery.
The Black Church
“The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song” - This intimate four-hour series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 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.
“Gospel” - “Gospel,” the latest history series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., digs deep into the origin story of Black spirituality through sermon and song.
“Gospel Live!” - “Gospel Live!” presented by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., is a concert celebrating 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.
Prominent Historical Figures
“Becoming Frederick Douglass” - Discover how a man born into slavery became one of the most influential voices for democracy in American history. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Stanley Nelson explores the role Douglass played in securing the right to freedom for African Americans.
“Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom” - Go beyond the legend and meet the inspiring woman who repeatedly risked her own life and freedom to liberate others from slavery. Born 200 years ago in Maryland, Harriet Tubman was a conductor of the Underground Railroad, a Civil War scout, nurse and spy, and one of the greatest freedom fighters in our nation’s history.
“Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts” - Established by Congress, the 14th Amendment promised citizenship in exchange for enlistment, prompting many African American men to enlist. They were denied due to Jim Crow laws but still served. The film examines the profound and often-contradictory roles played by Buffalo Soldiers in U.S. history, and how they fought on two sets of front lines: military conflicts abroad and civil rights struggles at home.
“Poetry in America: Phillis Wheatley: To the University” In 1770s Boston, Phillis Wheatley was enslaved while also an international celebrity: a writer who mastered the most persuasive rhetoric of the day to publish enduring arguments about freedom. Inaugural poets Amanda Gorman and Richard Blanco, writer Clint Smith, and scholars Glenda Carpio and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. join host Elisa New to read two of Wheatley’s poems for public occasions.
“Making Black America: Through the Grapevine” - This four-part series hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., chronicles the vast social networks and organizations created by and for Black people. Professor Gates sits with noted scholars, politicians, cultural leaders, and old friends to discuss this world behind the color line and what it looks like today.
Historical Significance
“The Civil War ‘1862: A Very Bloody Affair/Forever Free’” - See the birth of modern warfare and Lincoln’s war to preserve the Union transform into a war to emancipate the slaves. Follow the battle of ironclad ships, camp life and the beginning of the end of slavery. Re-live the war’s bloodiest day, on the banks of Antietam Creek, and the brightest: the emancipation of the slaves.
“Eyes on the Prize” - “Eyes on the Prize” tells the definitive story of the civil rights era from the point of view of the ordinary men and women whose extraordinary actions launched a movement that changed the fabric of American life, and embodied a struggle whose reverberations continue to be felt today. The documentary is narrated by political leader and civil rights activist Julian Bond (1940-2015).
“History with David Rubenstein: Marisha Sinha” - Historian Manisha Sinha discusses the historical significance of America’s evolution during the period of Reconstruction following the Civil War, which saw a transformation of the American nation from a slaveholding republic into an interracial democracy, all alongside the rise of industrial capitalism and the violent and ambitious conquest of the West.
“How the Monuments Came Down” - “How the Monuments Came Down” is a timely and searing look at the history of white supremacy and Black resistance in Richmond, Virginia. The feature-length film—brought to life by history-makers, descendants, scholars, and activists—reveals how monuments to Confederate leaders stood for more than a century, and why they fell.
“Slavery by Another Name” - “Slavery by Another Name” is a 90-minute documentary that challenges one of Americans’ most cherished assumptions: the belief that slavery in this country ended with the Emancipation Proclamation. The film tells how even as chattel slavery came to an end in the South in 1865, thousands of African Americans were pulled back into forced labor with shocking force and brutality.
“Tulsa: The Fire and the Forgotten”- Learn about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, on the 100th anniversary of the crime, and how the community of Tulsa is coming to terms with its past, present, and future.
“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.
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.