Movies: American history

Presents the history of the U S from the inauguration of Franklin D Roosevelt to the eve of World War II, including the Great Depression and New Deal legislation designed to overcome it. Emphasizes events that had lasting effects on the nation, such ...

This chilling reflection examines the horrific history of lynchings as cultural events and celebrations that included souvenirs and postcards....

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the short-lived but far-reaching American Institution The Pony Express by following a historical re-enactment along the original trail from Sacramento California to Saint Joseph Missouri....

November 2016 : The United States of America are about to elect their new president. AMERICA is a deep dive into the heart of Arizona, meeting the inhabitants of a little town crossed by Road 66, the broken inheritors of the American Dream who deliv...

Built in 1755 at the height of the French and Indian War, Braddock's Road was one of the nation's most infamous military roads. Traces of this historic route, in western Maryland, still remain, buried beneath soil and brush, and a team of archaeologi...

Two brothers, separated by time and prison bars, reestablish contact. Inspired by James Baldwin's short story, 'Sonny's Blues.'...

Green Flake, a southern slave, joins Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as a child. Later on in his life he is sent to pave the way to what is now the Salt Lake Valley and his faith sustains him....

A Ken Burns-style documentary exploring the first 100 years of our National Christmas Tree. On Christmas Eve 1923, President Calvin Coolidge lit the first National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse, just south of the White House. We follow the tree throu...

Looking at the birth of America's first intelligence units, set in motion in by President Lincoln himself in the early days of the war; exploring a spy who broke the boundaries of gender and race....

Denver’s iconic and Grammy Award-winning musicians reveal the secrets of their success and longevity in the music business while warning the young lions to whom they pass the torch to stay relevant in a marketplace both treacherous and brutal. The m...

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With a mission of collecting, preserving and making accessible the materials of human culture, the New York Public Library plays a vital role in the cultural life of the Big Apple. This film provides a multifaceted portrait of the institution. Viewer...

Describes the Quakers' struggle for religious freedom and the founding of the Pennsylvania colony, under the leadership of William Penn. Describes the colony's belief in freedom of speech and religion, and in the equality of all. Explains why Pennsyl...

When Thomas Jefferson died in 1826, he left behind a mountain of personal debt, which forced his heirs to sell his beloved Monticello home and all of its possessions. The Levys of Monticello is a documentary film that tells the little-known story of ...

Learn about the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, on the one hundredth anniversary of the crime, and how the community of Tulsa is coming to terms with its past, present, and future....

Controversy erupts over a New-Deal-era mural of the namesake of San Francisco’s George Washington High School. The thirteen-panel artwork "The Life of Washington" by Victor Arnautoff offers a view of the Founding Father both celebratory and critical,...

For over 150 years, Fort Niagara protected the strategic point at the mouth of the Niagara River. Four nations struggled to conquer it, and thus control that critical water artery....

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A documentary covering the history of TWA, from its origins to its ultimate sale to American Airlines....

Agent Yellow is a powerful indictment of the U.S. government’s systematic prejudice against Chinese-American scientists. The film focuses on the mistreatment of Chinese scientists who contributed significantly to American military research, specifica...