This month, PBS announced its offering plentiful programming and digital content to celebrate Black History Month in an effort to feature significant stories from the people and communities that shape our country’s history.
“PBS is thrilled to anchor this year’s Black History Month celebration with programs featuring powerful trailblazers including Fannie Lou Hamer, civil rights worker Wharlest Jackson and Black diplomat, Carl Rowan, who were each major influences throughout history and their contributions still resonate today,” Sylvia Bugg, Chief Programming Executive and General Manager, General Audience Programming said.
“We present a variety of stories featuring and made by African Americans all year round and continue to highlight the breadth of these stories on PBS.org and the PBS Video app, in addition to our nationally scheduled broadcast programs.”
Bugg also said it was important to share these stories because PBS’ mission drives on promoting them throughout the year and not just for BHM.
“For me in general audience programming, it was important to use these heritage months as an opportunity and also recognize that we present content across other months throughout the year,” Bugg said. “We ensure that we provide content that is educational, informative, and engaging. We’re really excited about the slate that we have for Black History Month and we look forward to continuing to present these kinds of themes across all of our schedules including our digital and social platforms as well.”
The amount of stories in Black History is limitless and Bugg said the process PBS went about selecting stories was by looking at content themes that resonate with issues people care about today.
“Often this is through a reflective lens across history,” Bugg said. “I say it a little bit of how it ebbs and flows in terms of production timelines, but also we’re looking at the wide swath of programming. We serve a general audience so when we’re looking at content for BHM specifically it does span the art and history.”
Bugg said one of the films part of PBS’ BHM pipeline is “Fannie Lou Hamer’s America: An America Reframed Special,” which premieres Feb. 8.
“We’re very proud to work with America Reframed, which is from the World Channel in Boston and that piece was produced by Hamer’s great-niece Monica Land; co-produced by Selena Lauterer; and directed by Joy Davenport,” Bugg said. “That piece of content was done through really careful curation with the production team and luckily the timeline aligned with this time of year as we look at the strategic placement of our content as well.”
Bugg said the network will also present a profile on Marian Anderson, “AMERICAN MASTERS’ “Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands,” giving an up close and personal exclusive on the life, legacy, and career of the Metropolitan Opera singer airing on Feb. 22.
Hometown music giants, Chuck Berry from St. Louis, and East St. Louis’ own Miles Davis make their way through PBS’ storytelling on prominent Black figures.
“We were so thrilled to bring an encore premiere of IN THEIR OWN WORDS “Chuck Berry” it was part of the limited series of profiles,” Bugg said. “He’s a legend in his right and the PBS special will discuss the impact of his lyrics, his writing, and how he birthed the renaissance in popular music we know as rock music.”
PBS also has its Black Culture Connection channel, a curation of articles, and a playlist included on the website such as AMERICAN EXPERIENCE “The Murder of Emmett Till” and THE BLACK CHURCH: THIS IS OUR STORY, THIS IS OUR SONG.
“It reminded me of my childhood growing up in the Black church,” Bugg said. “It lent itself to other audiences wanting to learn more about it and how influential the music was, which often soothes the soul and the spirit.”
For more information about all the BHM programming visit PBS.org, the PBS Video app, and streaming services including Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and VIZIO. PBS station members can also view the majority of programs via Passport (contact your local PBS station for details).
