Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise

Ronald Reagan's policies in the 1980s had immense consequences for America's already-struggling inner-cities — as the lack of federal support made the jobs of black civic leaders all but impossible. Watch Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise Nov. 15 & 22 on PBS.

During it's rise, Black Power groups organized across the country — each with their own idea about what the phrase meant. At first, Dr. King and many of his allies saw Black Power as a challenge — both to non-violence and the goal of integration — that might speed the unraveling of the always fragile interracial civil rights coalition. Watch Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise Nov. 15 & 22.

Racial profiling has led to tragedy on several occasions. On August 9, 2014, a police officer shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. The night after Brown's death, residents gathered in protest. The police response shocked the country. Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise airs Nov. 15 & 22.

The Black Panthers put their revolutionary rhetoric into action. They developed community programs, offering clothing and care to the needy, and free breakfast to the needy. Did the Panthers embrace a willingness to use arms to defend themselves? Absolutely. Unfortunately, that’s usually the only part of the story that we get. Watch Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise Nov. 15 & 22.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. embarks on a deeply personal journey through the last fifty years of African American history. Joined by leading scholars, celebrities, and a dynamic cast of people who shaped these years, Gates travels from the victories of the civil rights movement up to today, asking profound questions about the state of black America—and our nation as a whole.

In the late 1970s, Reagan perpetuated the myth of African Americans taking advantage of the welfare system, and advocated cutting social services to aid the economy. Learn about the impact of this divisive rhetoric in Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise, Nov. 15 & 22 on PBS.

On October 16, 1995, the Million Man March took place in Washington, D.C.. It rose the central question facing black America at the time. Were the problems internally created or part of the unfinished business of the Civil Rights movement? Watch Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise Nov. 15 & 22 on PBS.

In 1965, the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committie (SNCC) sent activists to rural Lowndes County, Alabama. Among them was 23-year-old Stokely Carmichael. The activists helped create an independent political party for black voters to counteract suppression. The symbol used was a black panther. Watch Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise Nov. 15 & 22.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans. Nearly 100,000 people found themselves stranded without food or shelter, revealing the deep vulnerability of the poorest black communities. The disaster was compounded by the government's slow response and relief efforts were hampered by media reporting of crime sprees. Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise airs Nov. 15 & 22.

The Supreme Court outlawed school segregation in 1954, yet two decades later, many children still attended segregated schools — because they lived in segregated neighborhoods. The reality was white neighborhoods were wealthier, with better-funded classrooms. Boston was one of many cities where schools were separate and deeply unequal. Watch Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise Nov. 15 & 22.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. takes a personal journey through the last 50 years of black history. Premieres November 15 & 22 at 8/7c on PBS.

In the 1970s, backlash against affirmative action was in full swing, driven by a growing sense that the nation had done enough to redress centuries of racism. Yet racism was still a factor in American life, and, despite the progress, many African Americans were still struggling. Watch Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise Nov. 15 & 22 on PBS.