Tucson, Arizona – January 22, 2014 – Arizona Public Media presents an extensive lineup of special programming during February in observance of Black History Month. From history to performing arts to independent film, PBS, WORLD, the UA Channel and NPR 89.1 offer viewers and listeners the opportunity to explore the rich, vibrant history, and cultural contributions of African Americans.
Television highlights include:
POV: “American Promise,” Monday, February 3 at 10pm” Trace the experiences of an African-American boy and his friend at a prestigious private school. This was a winner, U.S. Documentary, Special Jury Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
American Masters: “Alice Walker-Beauty in Truth,” Friday, Feb 7 at 2 p.m. Most famous for her seminal novel “The Color Purple,” writer/activist Alice Walker celebrates her 70th birthday. The first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for Literature, Walker continues to shine a light on global human rights issues. Her dramatic life is told with poetry and lyricism, and includes interviews with Steven Spielberg, Danny Glover, Quincy Jones, Howard Zinn, Gloria Steinem, Sapphire and Walker herself.
Independent Lens: “Spies of Mississippi,” Monday, February 10 at 2 p.m. Over a decade, the Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission employed a network of investigators and informants, including African Americans, to help infiltrate the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP,) Congress on Racial Equality (CORE,) and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC.) Learn about a spy agency formed by the state of Mississippi in the 50s-60s to preserve segregation.
Radio highlights on NPR 89.1 include:
“Civil Rights in America,” Sunday, February 2 at 2 p.m. Hosted by Charles Dutton, this one-hour special examines the relevance and meaning of civil rights in the 21st century and the relationship between the Civil Rights Movement and the efforts of women, other people of color, and the LGBT community to expand our traditional definitions of equality. Daryl Michael Scott, national president for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALAH), joins the program with other guests to discuss this year’s Black History Month theme, Civil Rights in America, along with the fiftieth anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the broader implications of civil rights in America.
“Going Black: The Legacy of Philly Soul Radio,” Sunday, February 16 at 2 p.m. Starting in the 1950s, Black radio stations around the country became the pulse of African-American communities, and served as their megaphone during the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. "Going Black" examines the legacy of Black radio, with a special focus on the legendary WDAS in Philadelphia. Hosted by Sound of Philadelphia (TSOP) music producer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Kenny Gamble
The following is a complete list of programs, dates and times.
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