PBS Honors the Legacy of Black History Month

Clockwise from top left: Karen Pittman and Namir Smallwood - LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER Pipeline (Courtesy of Jeremy Daniel); Charley Pride - AMERICAN MASTERS Charley Pride (Courtesy of Greg Mathison); Danai Gurira - BREAKING BIG Danai Gurira (Courtesy of Ozy Media); Michael K. Williams and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. - FINDING YOUR ROOTS Mystery Men (Courtesy of McGee Media/Ark Media)

PBS Honors the Legacy of Black History Month

SAY IT LOUD, A New PBS Digital Studios Series, Celebrates Black Culture and Achievements

New Documentaries from INDEPENDENT LENS and AMERICAN MASTERS Delve Deep into African American Experiences

PBS Offers Commemorative Black History Programming for Viewers to Stream Online Through the PBS Black Culture Connection (BCC)

ARLINGTON, VA; JANUARY 10, 2019 - PBS today announced special programming to commemorate Black History Month, as part of its commitment to celebrating the diversity of America year-round.

Coming in February to YouTube and Facebook Watch, SAY IT LOUD is a new PBS Digital Studios series hosted by YouTube sensations Evelyn Ngugi of Evelyn from the Internets and Azie Dungey, Emmy-nominated writer and creator of Ask a Slave. Part cultural critique, part talk show and part history lesson, SAY IT LOUD will explore Black American culture and its impact on broader communities and trends.

Produced in partnership with KLRU-TV in Austin, Texas, the series' will dive into the history behind cultural tropes and touch points, and focus on relatable experiences of modern Black American life, exploring media, public affairs and social media trends like #GrowingUpBlack and #BlackGirlMagic. For example, audiences can expect to see episodes that highlight things they didn't know were invented by Black people, the meaning of Black pride and the experiences of first generation Africans in America compared to African Americans.

See a first look of the show here.

PBS has long had an appreciation of Black history and culture, but SAY IT LOUD is the first series developed for online audiences specifically interested in celebratory cultural content, Brandon Arolfo, Senior Director, PBS Digital Studios said. We're lucky to work with this talented group of women to create a funny, authentic and enlightening series that will ignite an inspirational online community and extend the PBS Digital Studios brand to new, diverse audiences.

Also coming in February and continuing into the spring, PBS will offer new documentaries and encore programming to spotlight those who have made significant contributions to America. From INDEPENDENT LENS documentaries exploring the various experiences of Black Americans, to AMERICAN MASTERS programs that highlight famous artists who achieved success over prejudice and injustice, to historical programs from Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Stanley Nelson, viewers will gain a deeper understanding of African American history and culture.

PBS always strives to produce content that will enhance our audience's knowledge of history and culture, said Perry Simon, PBS Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming. We are pleased to highlight the African American stories and contributions on and behind the screen in our lineup this February and beyond, and trust that the viewers will find these programs engaging and inspiring.

These programs are available for streaming following their broadcast on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org, PBS Black Culture Connection and the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast. PBS station members may be able to view episodes via Passport (contact your local PBS station for details).

The PBS Black Culture Connection (BCC), an extension of PBS.org, fosters discussion and showcases stories from across PBS that reflect the black experience in America.

The full Black History Month programming lineup is below in airdate order:

FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SEASON 5

(Tuesdays, January 8-February 26; April 2 and 9, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET)

Join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. to uncover the surprisingly ancestral stories of 25 cultural trailblazers with fascinating and unexpected personal histories. Personalities featured this season include Michael Strahan, S. Epatha Merkerson, Kehinde Wiley, Michael K. Williams, Joe Madison and many more highlighted in the 10 new episodes.

Streams: Begins Jan 8, 2019 for several months; Passport: Begins Feb 6, 2019 through early 2023

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS Buddy Guy/August Greene

(Saturday, February 2, 2019, 11:00 p.m.-12:00 a.m. ET; check local listings)

Thrill to an hour of blues and hip-hop with Buddy Guy and August Greene. Blues legend Guy plays hits and songs from his latest album, The Blues is Alive and Well. Hip-hop supergroup August Greene performs songs from its self-titled debut.

Streams: Feb 3 - Mar 2, 2019; Passport: Mar 3 - Aug 30, 2019

INDEPENDENT LENS Black Memorabilia

(Monday, February 4, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET)

From the South to Brooklyn to China, meet the people who reproduce, consume and reclaim black memorabilia, racially-charged objects often wrapped in the protective embrace of antiquity and historical preservation. Directed by Chico Colvard.

Streams: Feb 5 - Mar 6, 2019; Not available in Passport.

LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER Pipeline

(Friday, February 8, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET)

Meet Nya, an inner-city teacher desperate to save her son, in Dominique Morisseau's riveting and critically acclaimed new play. When her son gets in trouble at school, Nya must confront his rage and her choices, and try to reach him before he gets pulled away forever. Co-produced by BroadwayHD.

Not available for streaming

INDEPENDENT LENS Hale County This Morning, This Evening

(Monday, February 11, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET)

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