February is Black History Month, a dedicated time to acknowledge and honor the contributions, resilience and cultural richness of the Black community. It provides an opportunity for these stories to take center stage, empowering us to reflect on the impacts and importance of diverse narratives within the Black experience. Take a moment to engage with and explore the achievements and stories of individuals in the Black community who have played a significant role in shaping American culture, politics, art and so much more.
Watch, learn, appreciate and reflect on the stories that have shaped our collective history on PBS NC and the free PBS App.
Dig deep into the origin story of Black gospel music, coming out of slavery, blending with the blues tradition, and soaring to new heights during the Great Migration. From Mahalia to Kirk Franklin, in the last century, gospel music has become the dominant form of African American religious expression and provided a soundtrack of healing and uplift to those at the front lines of protest and change.
Watch the 4-part series Gospel Monday, 2/12 and Tuesday, 2/13 at 9 PM on PBS NC. Get early access to episodes only with Passport on Saturday, 2/4.
Premiering Friday, 2/9 at 9 PM on PBS NC
A concert celebration honoring the legacy of Gospel music in America. As a companion to GOSPEL, hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., secular and gospel artists sing their favorite gospel classics.
For more than a decade, renowned Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has helped to expand America’s sense of itself, stimulating a national conversation about identity with humor, wisdom, and compassion. Professor Gates has explored the ancestry of dozens of influential people from diverse backgrounds, taking millions of viewers deep into the past to reveal the connections that bind us all.
Watch Finding Your Roots Tuesdays at 8 PM on PBS NC. Watch now on the PBS App.
Journalist Sunny Hostin and actor Jesse Williams.
Actor Danielle Brooks and singer Dionne Warwick
Comedian Tracy Morgan and actor Anthony Ramos.
Each week, Black Issues Forum presents a diverse panel of guests who discuss such topics as politics, social concerns, health, education, justice, entertainment, technology and public policy.
In February, host Kenia Thompson explores the impact of gospel music with recording artist Tasha Page-Lockhart and how to make changes on the inside and out with tips from life coaches and stylists. She also meets with an eye-care specialist who explains how our eyes serve as vital indicators of our overall well-being and health.
Watch Black Issues Forum Fridays at 7 PM on PBS NC and streaming on the PBS App. Be sure to watch on 2/2 for a first look at our redesigned and refreshed studio!
In this HBCU Week special from September 2023, learn about Elizabeth City State University’s aviation sciences program, the only four-year collegiate aviation education program in North Carolina. And we take a look at the Aggie-Eagle Classic, a legendary college football rivalry that’s all about family.
Experience Anthony Davis’s groundbreaking opera directed by Tony nominee Robert O’Hara. The new staging portrays Malcolm as an Everyman whose story transcends time and space. Supported by a cast of young Met stars, Will Liverman sings Malcolm X.
Watch Great Performances at the Met "X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X" on the PBS App, starting Sunday, 2/4.
Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth was raised in the crucible of segregated Birmingham but he was forged by its attempt to kill him. When the KKK planted a bomb underneath his bed and he emerged unharmed, he was sure he was saved by God to lead a Movement. His work not only ended legal segregation but lead directly to the Civil and Voting Rights Acts - and inspired freedom movements around the world.
Watch Shuttlesworth Friday, 2/9 at 3 PM on PBS NC. Watch now on the PBS App.
A documentary that tells the inspiring story of how six iconic African American women entertainers – Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson and Pam Grier – challenged an entertainment industry deeply complicit in perpetuating racist stereotypes, and transformed themselves and their audiences in the process.
Watch How It Feels To Be Free Tuesday, 2/6 at 9 PM on PBS NC. Watch now on the PBS App.
Experience the meteoric rise and enduring legacy of Little Richard. This portrait of the “King and Queen of Rock and Roll” explores his far-reaching influence as well as his advocacy for the rights of Black artists in the music industry.
Watch Little Richard: The King and Queen of Rock 'n' Roll Friday, 2/2 at 9 PM on PBS NC. Watch now on the PBS App.
During a marathon recording session in the small town of Fountain, 11 family gospel groups lift their voices and celebrate the sacred soul traditions of Eastern North Carolina.
Watch The Sacred Soul of North Carolina, streaming now on the PBS App.
Explore the enduring legacy of one of the most significant African American leaders of the Reconstruction Era. Born in 1852 in Eastern North Carolina to a family of turpentine farmers, White rose through the ranks of state politics to serve in the 55th US Congress from 1887 to 1901 as its sole Black voice.
Watch George H. White: Searching for Freedom, Thursday, 2/1 at 10 PM on PBS NC. Watch now on the PBS App.
Murals in Roanoke Rapids tell how a young Black woman’s refusal to move to the back of the bus in 1952 helped dismantle Jim Crow transportation laws in the South. In Rowan County, audio-enabled benches highlight diverse communities through storytelling and oral histories.
Watch Visibly Speaking "Sarah Keys Evans | Here's My Story," streaming now on the PBS App.
Near the end of the Civil War, the United States Colored Troops fought a pivotal battle in Wilmington. Stephen Hayes creates a sculpture to honor their legacy and serve as a touchstone for years to come. Also, Cornelio Campos paints a colorful mural with the Latinx community in Durham to convey their immigrant struggles and hopes for a brighter future.
Watch Visibly Speaking "Boundless | El Futuro," Saturday, 2/3 at 10:30 AM on PBS NC. Watch now on the PBS App.
Glimpse behind the curtain at opera legends Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman’s famed concert at Carnegie Hall on March 18, 1990, featuring performance clips and new interviews with opera star Angel Blue, Met Opera General Manager Peter Gelb and more.
Watch The Magic of Spirituals now on the PBS App with Passport.
Discover the legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey whose dances center on the Black American experience with grace, strength and beauty. Featuring previously unheard audio interviews with Ailey, interviews with those close to him and an intimate glimpse into the Ailey studios today.
Follow two performers as they break down barriers in music. Opera singer J’Nai Bridges takes the stage in “A Knee on the Neck,” a choral tribute to George Floyd. Country artist Rissi Palmer redefines success as she works on her latest album, while uplifting other artists of color in the Americana genres.
Watch In The Making now on the PBS App with Passport.
Experience the groundbreaking sounds of bebop pioneer and virtuoso composer Max Roach, whose far-reaching ambitions were inspired and challenged by the inequities of the society around him.
Watch Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes now on the PBS App with Passport.
Toni Morrison leads an assembly of her peers and critics on an exploration of the powerful themes she confronted throughout her literary career in this artful and intimate meditation that examines the life and work of the legendary storyteller. A film by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders. Photos: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders.
Watch Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am now on the PBS App with Passport.
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