PBS Honors Hispanic Heritage Mon with Vibrant Art, Rich Culture and Compelling History

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PBS HONORS HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH WITH VIBRANT ART, RICH CULTURE AND COMPELLING HISTORY

Featuring New Episodes from PBS ARTS FALL FESTIVAL and Documentaries from POV and AMERICAN MASTERS; Selected Titles Available for Online Streaming

28th ANNUAL HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS AIRS OCTOBER 9TH

ARLINGTON, VA August 31, 2015 In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month and as part of its commitment to celebrating the diversity of our nation year-round, PBS today announced an on-air lineup commemorating the unique experiences and culture of Hispanic Americans that have shaped Latino and American history. With fascinating documentaries, new and encore episodes from popular titles, and the 28th ANNUAL HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS, PBS' programs will enrich viewers' understanding of Hispanic Americans with an in-depth look at the stories, music, and issues that have impacted, and continue to influence, Latino history and culture (click here for a clip).

PBS is committed to exploring diversity reflective of many cultures, generations and genres in all of its programming, said Beth Hoppe, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager of General Audience Programming for PBS. We always strive to tell the stories of diverse America, and our programming throughout Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) and beyond highlights the unique contributions and experiences of Hispanic Americans.

The fifth season of the PBS ARTS FALL FESTIVAL (click here for a clip), hosted by Grammy Award-winning international music superstar Gloria Estefan, features two vibrant shows with a Latin flair. The festival will launch on October 9 with the inventive, high-energy UNITY THE LATIN TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON, featuring Latin-infused arrangements of iconic songs such as Smooth Criminal, I Want You Back and Billie Jean in this concert special hosted by Sheila E, featuring award-winning Latin artists. On November 9, celebrated Broadway star Chita Rivera, fresh off of her recent Tony-nominated Broadway run, is featured in GREAT PERFORMANCES Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' to Do.

Following UNITY THE LATIN TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON on October 9 will be the 28th ANNUAL HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS (check local listings). The legendary Rita Moreno will host this special evening, which is the country's highest award paying tribute to Latinos by Latinos. The evening includes live performances and appearances by some of the country's most celebrated Hispanic artists. The Hispanic Heritage Awards were created by the White House in 1987.

PBS also presents new documentaries that focus on the history and lives of Hispanic Americans. ON TWO FRONTS: LATINOS & VIETNAM, airing September 22, examines the Latino experience during the Vietnam War from the point of view of two siblings, Everett and Delia Alvarez, who stood on opposite sides of the war, one as a POW and the other protesting at home. On September 18, in a special co-presentation with VOCES, AMERICAN MASTERS Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer's Journey depicts the life and work of internationally recognized Mexican-American architectural photographer Pedro E. Guerrero; and on September 21, award-winning series POV presents Don't Tell Anyone ( No Le Digas a Nadie ), which profiles immigrant activist Angy Rivera as she shares her experiences of being undocumented and sexually abused.

In addition, select PBS stations will feature encore broadcasts of REBEL: A VOCES SPECIAL PRESENTATION, which tells the story of Loreta Velasquez, a Cuban immigrant who secretly fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War; The State of Arizona, a provocative INDEPENDENT LENS film about Arizona's controversial papers please law ; and the landmark series LATINO AMERICANS, hosted by Peruvian-American actor Benjamin Bratt.

PBS.org features a Hispanic Heritage Month Online Collection to connect viewers to new programs premiering this fall and to the additional films and digital features that remain on the site year-round, highlighting the stories, people, history and culture of Hispanic Americans.

PBS LearningMedia, a free on-demand library for educators and students, with more than 1.6 million registered users, will feature a variety of digital resources from VOCES Children of Giant, VOCES El Poeta, AMERICAN MASTERS Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer's Journey and ON TWO FRONTS: LATINOS & VIETNAM for classroom use. The service currently offers more than 1,300 Spanish-language videos, available for anytime access, that span a wide range of subjects, with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). A special video about the importance of Hispanic Heritage month will launch on September 2nd. For more information please visit www.pbslearningmedia.org.

The full Hispanic Heritage Month programming lineup is listed below (check local listings):

AMERICAN MASTERS Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer's Journey

Discover the life and work of Mexican-American photographer Pedro E. Guerrero, who collaborated with Frank Lloyd Wright and sculptors Alexander Calder and Louise Nevelson. A special presentation of AMERICAN MASTERS and VOCES. -- Friday, September 18, 9:00 10:00 p.m. ET

POV Don't Tell Anyone ( No Le Digas a Nadie )

Meet immigrant activist Angy Rivera, the country's only advice columnist for undocumented youth. In a community where silence is often seen as necessary for survival, she steps out of the shadows to share her own parallel experiences of being undocumented and sexually abused. -- Monday, September 21, 10:00 11:30 p.m. ET

ON TWO FRONTS LATINOS & VIETNAM

Examine the Latino experience during a war that placed its heaviest burden on the working class. Framing the documentary are memoirs of two siblings who stood on opposite sides of the Vietnam War, one a POW and the other a pro

LINK:	http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2015/hispanic-heritage-month/...
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