“Barns are a part of our landscape, lining our roads like loyal ancient sentries,” Missouri State University Noel Boyd Professor of Ozarks Studies Brooks Blevins narrates. “Like a log and frame beacon of a lost world, they remind us of a past lived close to the dirt, of a time when we understood just how much we depend on the earth, a time when we worked the ground and communed with it. Weathered and worn, barns seemed to be an extension of the earth itself, crafted by hands long since returned to the soil. Imagined by minds no longer among us.

Cemeteries are often thought of as dark, sad places where loved ones who have passed away are buried. The Arkansas PBS original production “Silent Storytellers” shares stories of the lives etched on the stones, why cemeteries are important to the local community and how to take care of them. “Silent Storytellers,” produced by Arkansas PBS Producer Casey Sanders, will air Thursday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m. as part of our “From the Archives” series.

Whether you are a native Arkansan or a transplant, the Arkansas PBS original production “History on the Line: Preserving County Courthouses” generates a feeling of warmth from small-town Arkansas communities and an intimate look at those communities that hold their courthouses dearly. “History on the Line: Preserving County Courthouses” will air Thursday, Jan. 9, at 7 p.m. as part of our “From the Archives” series.

Arkansas PBS is honored to share that we have won nine regional Emmy Awards from the Mid-America Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) for original, local productions!

“At Arkansas PBS, we are dedicated to being the storytellers of Arkansas, and this year’s recognition with nine prestigious regional Emmy Awards is a powerful affirmation of that mission,” Executive Director and CEO Courtney Pledger said. “Our team’s dedication to excellence and our community partnerships make this level of accomplishment possible.

Before you see Arkansan Adam Riley and Canadian Matty Clarke set out to row 2,200 miles of the Northwest Passage in handmade boats in our new documentary, “Passage,” airing Thursday, Nov. 7 at 7 p.m., let’s dive into its history and the travelers who came before.

The Halve Maen, captained by Henry Hudson in the 1600s.

When we produced Season 1 of “Arkansas Treasures” – a program that invites our audience to meet with professional appraisers to learn more about their most treasured heirlooms and collectibles – we were fortunate to collaborate with Amory LeCuyer, an appraiser and estate sales expert from Virginia who has worked on similar shows for public television stations in Maryland and Arizona.

By Janie Lee  
Senior Marketing Student at the University of Central Arkansas and Arkansas PBS intern

Wilmar June Dinner: A Juneteenth Celebration

By Guest Blogger Janie Lee

The small town of Wilmar, located in southeast Arkansas, holds one of the longest-running Juneteenth celebrations in Arkansas history and has been celebrated since the late 1800s. Arkansas PBS captured the history and relationships that draw people back to Wilmar year after year in a new documentary short, “Wilmar June Dinner,” produced as part of the Arkansas PBS series "Celebrating Arkansas."

In support of National Autism Acceptance Month, Arkansas PBS will present “Autism Amplified: Acceptance Through Communication,” a special designed to inform and raise awareness about autism, Thursday, April 25, at 7 p.m., and livestreaming at myarpbs.org/watch or in the PBS App.  

The solar eclipse was TOTALly amazing! Arkansas PBS Passport gives you a chance to relive that moment, as well as take informed journeys through space. Go back in time with Apollo 11; learn the history of the rocket; and discover the secrets of space with Arkansas PBS Passport.

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