Immerse yourself in the incredible history, culture, traditions, accomplishments, and contributions of the Black community in America with this list of programs that are airing on PBS KVIE, available to stream for free on our PBS app, or available to stream with PBS KVIE Passport. Discover, reflect, learn, and celebrate Black History Month not only during the month of February, but all year long.
Programs Airing on PBS KVIE
Rob on the Road: Rob at Home – Dr. Jonathan King
February 3 at 7:30PM
Listen in as former Lake Tahoe Community College Vice President Dr. Jonathan King shares his path from the horrors of segregation to a powerful message on education. The Morehouse and Harvard Graduate was born in the height of the civil rights moment and witnessed his pregnant mother beaten unconscious by police, a catalyst to the Albany Movement bringing Dr. Martin Luther King to young Jonathan’s family home.
Great Migrations: A People on the Move
February 4, 11 & 18 at 9PM
Explore the transformative impact of Black migration on American culture and society in this new series from Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. From waves of Black Americans to the North – and back South – to immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean, movement is a defining feature of the Black experience.
ViewFinder: All American – The Walter Gordon Story
February 5 at 7PM
Discover the untold story of Walter Gordon, a UC Berkeley All-American football player, the first Black graduate of Cal’s Boalt Law School, and Berkeley’s first Black police officer. Gordon had a distinguished career in law enforcement, civil rights, social justice, and prison reform.
ViewFinder: The Time is Now – The Nathaniel Colley Story
February 12 at 7PM
Trace the life of Nathaniel Colley, one of Sacramento’s earliest African American lawyers who spent 50 years shaping the course of American history. His passion for education and civil rights brought Colley together with John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Rosa Parks, Edmund “Pat” Brown, and Bill Clinton.
Studio Sacramento: 60 Years of the Observer
February 14 at 7:30PM
Discover how The Sacramento Observer has been a pillar in the Sacramento community for 60 years. Publisher Larry Lee joins host Scott Syphax for a conversation about the periodical’s storied history in Black journalism and its future.
Rob on the Road: Rob at Home – Region Rising: Berry Accius
February 24 at 7:30PM
Meet Berry Accius, a passionate community leader driving change and empowering Sacramento’s youth. From tackling tough conversations to building brighter futures, his vision and voice are shaping the region in powerful ways.
American Experience: Forgotten Hero – Walter White and The NAACP
February 25 at 9PM
Meet Walter White, the NAACP’s longtime leader and one of the most influential but least known figures in civil rights history. Under his leadership, the NAACP paved the way for Black power at the ballot box and scored important legal victories.
ViewFinder: African Americans – Civil Rights Era in California
February 26 at 7PM
Examine the issues that shaped the Civil Rights Era in California, including inequities in education, housing, and job opportunity. Discover through historic images and personal stories how events such as the Rumford Housing Act of 1963 and the 1967 Black Panther rally on the Capitol steps displayed the momentous achievements of the African American community and brought change to the Sacramento region.
Programs Available to Stream on the PBS App
American Experience: Zora Neale Hurston – Claiming a Space
Meet influential author and key figure of the Harlem Renaissance Zora Neale Hurston. Also a trained anthropologist, Hurston collected folklore throughout the South and Caribbean – reclaiming, honoring, and celebrating Black life on its own terms.
American Justice on Trial: People v. Newton
Explore the impact of the landmark trial of Black Panthers co-founder Huey Newton, who was accused of murdering a white policeman after a car stop in 1967 Oakland. During the trial, 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.
Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom
Go beyond the legend and meet the inspiring woman who repeatedly risked her own life and freedom to liberate others from slavery. Born 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.
John Lewis: Get in the Way
Follow the journey of civil rights hero, congressman, and human rights champion John Lewis. At the Selma March, Lewis came face-to-face with club-wielding troopers and exemplified non-violence.
Programs Available to Stream on the PBS App with PBS KVIE Passport
PBS KVIE Passport is a benefit of station membership. Members gain extended access to more videos available to stream on our PBS app.
American Experience: The American Diplomat
Discover how three Black diplomats broke racial barriers at the US State Department during the Cold War. Asked to represent the best of American ideals abroad while facing discrimination at home, they left a lasting impact on the Foreign Service.
Great Performances: Purlie Victorious
Enjoy this comedic play starring Tony winner Leslie Odom, Jr. telling the story of a Black preacher’s scheme to reclaim his inheritance and win back his church from a plantation owner. Written by Ossie Davis with direction by Tony winner Kenny Leon.
Independent Lens: Racist Trees
Were trees intentionally planted to exclude and segregate a Black neighborhood? Racial tensions ignite in this documentary exploring the fight to remove a towering wall of tamarisk trees by a historically Black neighborhood in Palm Springs, California.
Secrets of the Dead: The Civil War’s Lost Massacre
Originally a supply depot for Union forces in Kentucky, Camp Nelson became the site where 10,000 Black soldiers trained in the Civil War. But in the war’s last months, these soldiers were attacked by bitter Southerners. Their remains have never been found. Follow a team dedicated to finding them to memorialize their service and heroism.