We’re on the homestretch for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence! As the countdown to America250 draws closer this May, take a journey to learn more about inspiring movements, people, and animals from U.S. history, such as the women’s suffrage movement, W.E.B. Du Bois and Seabiscuit. Round out your month with the annual National Memorial Day concert and brush up on your American Revolution history with a viewing of Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt’s six-part, 12-hour documentary “The American Revolution”.
“Great Performances: Suffs” – Friday, May 8, at 8 p.m.Created by Tony Award winner Shaina Taub, this musical, recorded from Broadway, tells the story of the American suffragist movement and the remarkable friendships, heartbreak and action that brought women together – or, in some cases, tore them apart. The ensemble cast features Taub as Alice Paul, Tony winner Nikki M. James as Ida B. Wells, Tony nominee Jenn Colella as Carrie Chapman Catt, and Grace McLean as President Woodrow Wilson.
“10 Streets That Changed America” – Monday, May 11, at 9 p.m.
A whirlwind tour of 10 streets that change the way we get around: from Broadway in New York to Wilshire in Los Angeles, to the Boston Post Road and the Lincoln Highway. Find out which 10 streets made the list.
“10 Monuments That Changed America” – Monday, May 18, at 9 p.m.
A whirlwind of 10 monuments that mark key moments in American history: from the Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore, to the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial and the AIDS Quilt. Find out which 10 monuments made the list.
“American Masters | W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause” – Tuesday, May 19, at 8 p.m.
Explore the life and legacy of notable Black scholar and civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois. From his birth, just five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, to his death, on the eve of the March on Washington in 1963, his legacy as an activist continues to resonate today.
“National Memorial Day Concert” – Sunday, May 24, at 7 p.m.
Honoring our country’s veterans, servicemen and women and military families, the concert unites the country in remembrance and appreciation of those who gave their lives for our nation and serves those who are grieving through the missions put forward by Abraham Lincoln in his second inaugural address, “Let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan.”
“American Masters | Seabiscuit” – Tuesday, May 26, at 8 p.m.
On New Year’s Eve, 1938, columnist Walter Winchell published his annual list of the year’s top 10 newsmakers. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was among those mentioned. So was British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. The 10th spot, however, went to a horse. In the 1930s, when Americans longed to escape the grim realities of the Depression, Seabiscuit became a working man’s hero. At the height of his career, Seabiscuit became a national obsession. His name was used to sell everything from oranges to hotels, from ladies’ hats to dry-cleaning services. Tens of thousands of fans swarmed to the racetracks just to see him work out. One writer called the phenomenon “Seabiscuit-itus.”
“The American Revolution” – Available on PBS Passport
In the newest documentary from Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, 13 American colonies unite in rebellion, win an eight-year war to secure their independence, and establish a new form of government that would inspire democratic movements at home and around the globe. What begins as a political clash between colonists and the British government grows into a bloody struggle that will engage more than two dozen nations and forever change the world.
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Watch “The American Revolution” on PBS Passport.
Corporate funding for “The American Revolution” was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by The Better Angels Society and its members Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine with the Crimson Lion Foundation; and the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Major funding was also provided by David M. Rubenstein; The Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Family Foundation; Lilly Endowment Inc.; and the following Better Angels Society members: Eric and Wendy Schmidt; Stephen A. Schwarzman; and Kenneth C. Griffin with Griffin Catalyst. Additional support for “The American Revolution” was provided by: The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Gilbert S. Omenn and Martha A. Darling; Park Foundation; and the following Better Angels Society members: Gilchrist and Amy Berg; Perry and Donna Golkin; The Michelson Foundation; Jacqueline B. Mars; Kissick Family Foundation; Diane and Hal Brierley; John H. N. Fisher and Jennifer Caldwell; John and Catherine Debs; The Fullerton Family Charitable Fund; Philip I. Kent; Gail Elden; Deborah and Jon Dawson; David and Susan Kreisman; The McCloskey Family Charitable Trust; Becky and Jim Morgan; Carol and Ned Spieker; Mark A. Tracy; and Paul and Shelley Whyte. “The American Revolution” was made possible, in part, with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.