WETA Television proudly celebrates Black History Month with a special lineup that highlights the rich culture and history of African Americans.
Throughout the broadcast year, the station is committed to presenting programs reflecting the diversity of our community.
In Their Own Words: Chuck Berry
Sunday, February 1 at 7pm on WETA Metro
Take a riveting ride on the Chuck Berry train exploring the life, the legend, the music, and the man who is regularly credited as the father of rock and roll. We will meet the family who loved him, the players who were there for the rise, and the stars who bow to his inspiration and credit him for their own success.
Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom
Monday, February 2 at 10pm on WETA PBS
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.
Black and Jewish in America: An Interwoven History
Tuesday, February 3 at 9pm on WETA PBS and WETA Metro
Black and Jewish in America: An Interwoven History is a four-part series tracing the rich, complex relationship between Black and Jewish Americans —defined by solidarity and strained by division. Drawn together by racism and antisemitism, they forged civic and cultural bonds, especially during the civil rights era. The series explores both the challenges and enduring promise of that alliance. Repeats Saturdays at 8pm
American Experience: The Riot Report
Thursday, February 5 at 8pm on WETA Metro
When Black neighborhoods across America erupted in violence during the summer of 1967, President Johnson appointed a commission to determine what happened, why it happened, and what could be done to keep it from happening again. The bi-partisan commission’s final report offered a shockingly unvarnished assessment of American race relations that would doom its finding to political oblivion.
American Justice on Trial: People v. Newton
Thursday, February 5 at 10pm on WETA Metro
Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton is accused of murdering a white policeman after a car stop in 1967 Oakland. A landmark trial ensues and Newton's defense team calls out racism in the judicial system. With a death penalty looming, a shocking verdict is delivered that still reverberates today.
Gospel
Saturday nights at 9pm starting on Saturday, February 7 on WETA PBS
Gospel, the latest history series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., digs deep into the origin story of Black spirituality through sermon and song.
Olympic Pride, American Prejudice
Saturday, February 7 at 9:30pm on WETA Metro
The story of the African-American Olympians who defied Jim Crow and Adolf Hitler to win hearts and medals at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. The athletes represented a country that considered them second-class citizens and competed in a country that rolled out the red carpet for them despite an undercurrent of Aryan superiority and anti-Semitism.
Versailles ’73
Saturday, February 7 at 10pm on WETA PBS
It was the greatest fashion show ever staged, featuring Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Pierre Cardin, and Emmanuel Ungaro, against American designers Anne Klein, Stephen Burrows, Oscar de la Renta, and Halston. In front of an audience that included Andy Warhol, Princess Grace of Monaco, and Josephine Baker, the American designers catapulted to global stardom.
American Masters: The Disappearance of Miss Scott
Tuesday, February 10 at 10pm on WETA PBS and WETA Metro
Learn about jazz virtuoso and screen superstar Hazel Scott, the first Black American to have their own television show. An early civil rights pioneer, Scott faced down the Red Scare at the risk of losing her career and was a champion for equality.
American Masters: Roberta Flack
Thursday, February 12 at 9:30pm on WETA Metro
Follow music icon Roberta Flack from a piano lounge through her rise to stardom. From “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” to “Killing Me Softly,” Flack’s virtuosity was inseparable from her commitment to civil rights. Detailing her story in her own words, the film features exclusive access to Flack’s archives and interviews with Rev. Jesse Jackson, Peabo Bryson and more.
Desire: The Carl Craig Story
Saturday, February 14 at 10pm
Desire: The Carl Craig Story is an intimate portrait of legendary techno producer, DJ and record label creator Carl Craig and an ode to his beloved city, Detroit. Raised in a middle-class African-American family, Carl's parents fostered his artistic pursuits, even if that meant breaking with his family's tradition of pursuing higher education.
Becoming Frederick Douglass
Monday, February 16 at 10pm
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.
Hollywood’s Architect: The Paul Williams Story
Thursday, February 19 at 9pm on WETA Metro
Paul R. Williams defies the odds and becomes one of the most successful architects in the U.S., designing for celebrities including Frank Sinatra and Lucille Ball and iconic buildings such as the Beverly Hills Hotel and LAX Airport.
American Masters: Sun Ra - Do the Impossible
Friday, February 20 at 9pm on WETA PBS and WETA Metro
Discover the extraordinary life of poet, philosopher and music visionary Sun Ra. With his ever-evolving collective, the Sun Ra Arkestra, he self-produced more than 200 albums, stretching the boundaries of jazz.
King of Them All: The Story of King Records
Friday, February 20 at 10pm on WETA PBS and WETA Metro
King of Them All unfolds like a listening session with history. From James Brown’s soul to the Stanley Brothers’ bluegrass, King Records shaped genres that still echo today. Guided by voices like Seymour Stein, Vince Gill, and Christian McBride, the film restores a lost legacy.
Independent Lens: The Inquisitor
Monday, February 23 at 10pm
Explore the life and legacy of Barbara Jordan in The Inquisitor. Jordan was a groundbreaking Texas congresswoman whose sharp intellect and moral clarity transformed U.S. politics. From Nixon’s impeachment to civil rights battles, her voice demanded accountability, while she privately faced struggles few ever knew of.
American Experience: Forgotten Hero - Walter White and the NAACP
Thursday, February 26 at 8pm on WETA Metro
The civil rights movement was set in motion by activists of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. While some of its leaders are familiar, Walter White — NAACP head from 1929 to 1955 and one of America’s most influential Black men — has been all but forgotten. This film traces the fascinating and complex life of this neglected civil rights hero.
Independent Lens: Ratified
Saturday, February 28 at 9:30pm on WETA Metro
Ratified brings the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to life through Virginia’s pivotal ratification battle. Led by Black women and with the support of a multi-racial, multi-generational coalition, this documentary traces the legal, political, and deeply personal fight to enshrine gender equality in the U.S. Constitution nearly a century after the ERA was first proposed.
