Serving America: Memories of Peace Corps premieres on Tuesday, April 3, 7:30 p.m. on WPBT2. This original WPBT2 documentary highlights the experience of eleven South Floridians who served in the early years of the Peace Corps.
In addition to the broadcast, WPBT2 will host an online webcast of the documentary on Thursday, March 29, 7:30 p.m., EST at http://www.wpbt2.org/webcast. During the webcast, visitors can watch the program, chat with each other, and ask questions to the Executive Producer, Jack Kelly.
Told through the recollections of those who served include: Donna E. Shalala, President of the University of Miami, who volunteered in Iran from 1962-1964; Alberto Ibarguen, President and CEO of the James S. and James L. Knight Foundation, who served in Venezuela and Columbia from 1976-1971; Roland Foulkes, Founder & Chief Strategist, One Broward, who served in Ghana, West Africa from 1982-1984; and Terrance L. Lindemann, former WorldBank Head Marketing Div. Ext. Affairs, who volunteered in Venezuela from 1962-64.
Through the mix of archival film and photographs with personal stories from these returned volunteers, the program tells the story of service and idealism while tracing the history and heritage of an organization that has inspired more than 200,000 Americans to work for peace in 139 countries.
“What the Peace Corps really did is make me a citizen of the world,” says Shalala of her experience in Iran. After his service in Ghana, Roland Foulkes believes the “Two years; changed my life. It transformed me in a way that nothing else has.” From Ibarguen’s experience in Venezuela and Colombia, he states, “I am the living, breathing result of those two years in the jungle.”
The Peace Corps traces its roots and mission to 1960, when then Senator John F. Kennedy challenged students at the University of Michigan to serve their country in the cause of peace by living and working in developing countries. From that inspiration grew a federal government agency devoted to world peace and friendship. Within weeks of his inauguration, President Kennedy signed Executive Order 10924, establishing the Peace Corps on a temporary pilot basis. By June 30, 1962, 2,816 volunteers are in the field in 28 host countries.
From draft dodging to the Dayton Accords, from Monica Lewinsky to a balanced budget, the presidency of William Jefferson Clinton veered between sordid scandal and grand achievement. In Clinton, the latest installment in the critically acclaimed and successful collection of presidential biographies, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE explores the fascinating story of an American president who rose from a turbulent childhood in Arkansas to become one of the most successful politicians in modern American history and one of the most complex and conflicted characters ever to stride across the public stage.
It recounts a career full of accomplishment and rife with scandal, a marriage that would make history and create controversy, and a presidency that would define the crucial and transformative period between the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11. It follows Clinton across his two terms as he confronted some of the key forces that would shape the future, including partisan political warfare and domestic and international terrorism, and struggled, with uneven success, to define the role of American power in a post-Cold War world. Most memorably, it explores how Clinton’s conflicted character made history, even as it enraged his enemies and confounded his friends.
From Emmy and Peabody Award-winning director Barak Goodman (My Lai), the four-hour Clinton will premiere in two parts on WPBT2 . Part 1 premieres on Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 20, 2012 at 9:00pm and Part 2 premieres on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 8:00pm.
The program kicks off its three-part second season February 3 on WPBT2, with a multifaceted journey through the history of American song by the acclaimed musician and five-time Grammy®-nominated vocalist.
Michael Feinstein’s American Songbookgives viewers an intimate look at Feinstein on stage, behind the scenes and onthe road, where he has all-new adventures in his quest to celebrate and preserve the gems of classic American music.
Friday, February 3at 9:00 p.m. Episode 1 - Time Machines Feinstein explores how technology has preserved and altered the way we think about the great songs and singers of the past. Feinstein goes on a cross-country quest — even stopping at Hugh Hefner’s mansion — to uncover the various ways musical performances were documented, and the eclectic array of collectors and performers who are keeping that music alive. Includes a guest appearance by Hefner.
Friday, February 10at 9:00 p.m. Episode 2 - Lost and Found Lost and Found,follows Feinstein’s discovery and authentication of an undocumented song by one of the giants of American popular music. Feinstein also persuades legendary Broadway songwriter Jerry Herman to teach him an unknown song from his own songwriter’s “trunk,” one that’s never been heard prior to this broadcast. Includes a guest appearance by Tony Award-winner Christine Ebersole.
Friday, February 17at 9:00 p.m. Episode 3 - Saloon Singers We examine the allure of musical nightlife, from Mississippi juke joints to the neon lights of Las Vegas. Feinstein delves into the history of nightclub entertainment, from the Cotton Club to Sinatra’s Rat Pack. In addition, he talks to pioneers of the form, including entertainer Rose Marie, and poet and author Maya Angelou, who once made her living doing a calypso club act in San Francisco.
WPBT2 celebrates Black History Month with special programming beginning Thursday, February 2.
Thursday, February 2 at 11:00 p.m.
Independent Lens: Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock As a black woman who was a feminist before the term was invented, Daisy Bates refused to accept her assigned place in society. This program tells the story of her life and public support of nine black students who registered to attend the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, which culminated in a constitutional crisis — pitting a president against a governor and a community against itself. Unconventional, revolutionary and egotistical, Bates reaped the rewards of instant fame, but paid dearly for it.
Friday, February 3 at 10:00 p.m. & Monday, February 13 at 10:30 p.m. Reggae: The Story of Jamaican Music Ten years after their Independence, Jamaica was gripped by unemployment, crime and violence, and as so many of the emerging generation of Jamaicans, who had grown up with Independence, were victims of this, they reacted with the most potent weapon at their disposal – music. As the 1970s unfolded, subject matter changed to give voice to the protests the people wanted to express against the government, while urging their fellow youth to stick to the path of righteousness. Reggae music became a way to combine the two ideals.
Monday, February 6 at 10:00 p.m. Underground Railroad: The William Still Story Extraordinary people risked their lives to help fugitive slaves escape via the clandestine Underground Railroad. Among them was William Still of Philadelphia, a free black man who accepted delivery of transported crates containing human “cargo.” This documentary reveals some of the dramatic, lesser-known stories behind this humanitarian enterprise, and explores key Canadian connections, including the surprising fate of former slaves who crossed the border to “Freedom’s Land.”
Tuesday, February 7 at 8:00 p.m. American Experience: Freedom Riders In 1961, segregation seemed to have an overwhelming grip on American society. Many states violently enforced the policy, while the federal government remained indifferent, preoccupied with matters abroad. That is, until an integrated band of college students, decided, en masse, to risk everything and buy a ticket on a Greyhound bus bound for the Deep South. They called themselves the Freedom Riders, and they managed to bring the president and the entire American public face to face with the challenge of correcting civil-rights inequities that plagued the nation.
Thursday, February 9 at 11:00 p.m.
Independent Lens: The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 Combining startlingly fresh and candid 16mm footage that had lain undiscovered in the cellar of Swedish Television for the past 30 years, with contemporary audio interviews from leading African-American artists, activists, musicians and scholars, ”Mixtape” looks at the people, society, culture and style that fueled an era of convulsive change, 1967-1975. Utilizing an innovative format that riffs on the popular 1970s mixtape format, this is a cinematic and musical journey into the black communities of America.
Monday, February 13 at 9:00 p.m. Slavery By Another Name A Sundance Film Festival selection for 2012, this new documentary explores the little-known story of the post-Emancipation era and the labor practices and laws that effectively created a new form of slavery in the South that persisted well into the 20th century. Blackmon examines the concept of “neo slavery,” which sentenced African-Americans to forced labor for violating an array of laws that criminalized their everyday behavior. Actor Laurence Fishburne (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” Thurgood) narrates.
Monday, February 16 at 11:00 p.m. Independent Lens: More Than a Month Shukree Hassan Tilghman, a 29-year-old African-American filmmaker, is on a cross-country campaign to end Black History Month. Through this tongue-in-cheek journey, “More Than a Month” investigates what the treatment of history tells us about race and equality in a “post-racial” America.
Friday, February 24 at 9:00 p.m. Great Performances: Memphis Winner of the 2010 Tony Award for Best New Musical, “Memphis” turns the radio dial back to the 1950s to tell the story of a white DJ, named Huey Calhoun (Chad Kimball), whose love of music transcends race lines and airwaves. His romantic interest is Felicia Farrell (Montego Glover), a young black singer whose career is on the rise. When the two collaborate, her soulful music reaches radio audiences everywhere, and the golden era of early rock ‘n’ roll takes flight. But as things heat up, whether the world is really ready for their music — or their love — is put to a test.
Wednesday, February 27 at 10:00 p.m. American Masters: Cab Calloway: Sketches “Minnie the Moocher,” with its popular refrain “Hi de hi de hi de ho,” was Cab Calloway’s signature song, and Harlem’s famous Cotton Club was his home stage. A singer, dancer and band leader, he was an exceptional figure in the history of jazz: a consummate musician, he charmed audiences around the world with boundless energy, bravado and elegant showmanship. His back glide dance step is the precursor to Michael Jackson’s moonwalk, and his scatting lyrics find their legacy in today’s hip-hop and rap. An ambassador for his race, Calloway was one of the first black musicians to tour the segregationist South, as early as 1932.
WPBT2 will host two dinners with Jim Lehrer, PBS NewsHour Anchor and also moderator of eleven Presidential Debates, on Wednesday, February 22 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach and Thursday, February 23 at the Coral Gables Country Club. Ticket information for the dinners is available at wpbt2.org/lehrer.
Jim Lehrercame to PBS in 1972, teaming with Robert MacNeil in 1973 to cover the Senate Watergate hearings. They began in 1975 what became The MacNeil/Lehrer Report, and, in 1983, the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, the first 60-minute evening news program on television. When MacNeil retired in 1995, the program was renamed The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.
In the last six presidential elections, Lehrer moderated eleven of the nationally televised candidate debates. His latest book, a non-fiction work about the presidential debates, titled Tension City,was published in September 2011. At the WPBT2 dinners, Lehrer will discuss his latest book and give attendees a ringside seat for some of the epic political battles or our time, shedding light on some of the critical turning points and theoretical faux pas that helped determine the outcome of America's presidential elections. He will provide antedotes from his experiences as "the man in the middle seat."
During the Evenings with Jim Lehrer, WPBT2 will also present Lifetime Service Awards to William F. Koch, Jr. and Herbert A. Tobin for their commitment to public television WPBT2.
Known for movies such as "Annie Hall", "Husband and Wives", "The Mighty Aphrodite" and "Midnight in Paris", Woody Allen has been a pillar in the film community for decades.
Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Robert Weide follows the legendary writer, director, actor, comedian and musician for over a year and a half to document Allen's day to day life, something Allen has never let anyone do before. The documentary covers Allen's childhood and leads up to the writer/director he has become, averaging one film a year for more than 40 years.
The documentary includes interviews from actors, writers, friends and family such as Antonio Banderas, Owen Wilson, Diane Keaton, Chris Rock, Sean Penn, Scarlett Johansson Woody, Martin Scorsese, Doug McGrath, Allen's manager Jack Rollins and Allen's sister Letty Aronson.
Woody Allen: A Documentary, a two party documentary, airs Sunday, November 20 from 9-11 p.m. and Monday, November 21 from 9-10:30 p.m. on WPBT2 as a part of the 25th Anniversary season of American Masters.
A small country with limited natural resources, known for their politics, conflict and violence, has become a world leader in global science, business, medicine and technology. More impressive is their ability to share these developments with the world.
On Israel Inside, Harvard lecturer Dr. Tal Ben Shahar takes a look at how Israel's techological, economic and humanitarian achievements have contributed to Jewish values such as freedom, education, family and responsibility.
Watch interviews with Professor Alan Dershowitz, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and others as they give their point of view on Israel and its people.
Israel Inside premieres Tuesday, November 29 at 8 p.m. on WPBT2.
What do you get when you mix a sarcastic, yet lovable, doctor and a blues and jazz singer? Hugh Laurie!
WPBT2 will premiere Great Performances: Hugh Laurie: Let Them Talk- A Celebration of New Orleans Jazz on Friday, September 30 at 9pm.
Versatile British actor Hugh Laurie, an American favorite for his role in the hit TV series “House,” showcases his musical side in an atmospheric special filmed in New Orleans. Defying simple categorization, Laurie finds his greatest satisfaction and inspiration from the mixture of blues and jazz that grew out of New Orleans at the beginning of the last century.
“Let Them Talk” is his personal journey into the heart and soul of that music. Including documentary and interview segments during Laurie’s travels around the city, the program features his performances with blues legends Allen Toussaint and Irma Thomas, as well as a fellow countryman similarly inspired by this uniquely American music, Sir Tom Jones. With concert sequences filmed at the historic Latrobe’s building in the French Quarter, the musical selections include New Orleans blues standards along with some forgotten and neglected gems.
WPBT2, in association with the Florida Association for the Education of Young Children (FLAEYC), will host a live call in broadcast and webcast entitled, Early Care and Education: A Guide for Parents on September 1st at 8pm.
The program will be hosted by Helen Ferré, host of WPBT2’s public affairs program, Issues. It will center on topics including recognizing the best early learning facility for children and second language acquisition. South Florida education experts: Luis A. Hernandez, early childhood education specialist for Western Kentucky University, Dr. Nancy Brown, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at Florida Atlantic University and Mileidis Gort, Ed.D. Assistant Professor of Literacy and Bilingual Education at the University of Miami School of Education will answer viewer calls on-air.
Viewers can submit their questions via phone at 1-800-222-9728. Experts will also chat with the community via webcast at http://www.wpbt2.org/webcast. Viewers will also be able to submit their questions to theWPBT2 Facebook page as well as twitter using the hashtag #earlycareeducation.
Craft in America: Messages, looks at the ways many craft artists go beyond skill to personal and political expression. They use craft to tell a story, prove a point, or bring attention to issues. Often their work is passionate and provocative. The artists selected for Messages express many different interests and points of view, but they have one thing in common: their skill and creativity are of the highest level.
Wisconsin glass artist Beth Lipman explores the symbolism of 17th century still life paintings to express the fragility that exists in a world of excess. New Mexico santero Charles M. Carrillo uses authentic materials to combine historic religious subject matter with contemporary culture. Baltimore bead artist Joyce J. Scott learned quilting and beading from her mother and draws from references as wide-ranging as Africa and comic books to focus on issues such as race and stereotyping. New Orleans jewelry artist and sculptor Thomas Mann is famous for his “Techno-Romantic” designs. He created Storm Cycle, a series of wall panels that document the untold stories in his beloved city after Hurricane Katrina.
