History, Hobby, and Bio

Stephen Smith explores Renaissance Florence under the reign of Grand Duke Cosimo Medici. Cosimo’s fledgling court prized the finer things in life and some of the greatest painters, sculptors and craftsmen in world history came to serve the Grand Duke. Successful courtiers had to have brains as well as brawn. The canniest of them looked to theorists like Niccolo Machiavelli for underhanded ways to get ahead, whilst enlightened polymaths turned their...

Despite a difficult upbringing, Poe discovers his true calling as a writer, and marries his beloved Virginia. He creates the detective genre. He shapes the modern short story. Yet, he struggles with poverty, alcohol, and his “imp of the perverse.” Many of Poe’s most famous works are profiled, including “To Helen,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Black Cat,” and “The Murders in the Rue Morgue.”...

The Indian Subcontinent is romantic, remote and mysterious. From the plains of Pakistan to the foothills of the Himalaya, from Northern India and Rajasthan to Tamil Nadu in the south, this vast melting pot of civilizations, religions, cultures and landscapes has seen some of the greatest artistic golden ages on earth. This series examines the Indus Valley civilizations, Tamil Nadu-land of the temples-and the Mughal Empire, three very different dynasties...

The disappearance of Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan on July 2, 1937 is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of all time.

This is Martin Durkin’s provocative feature-length documentary film on the politics of race in America, the surprising history of its weaponization for political gain, and the Black Americans who are fighting back. Considering Dr. King's premise that people should be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin, the film looks at political forces in America that are pandering to racial issues and that are reducing...

The Dogon is an ethnic group living in the central plateau region of Mali in West Africa. This documentary highlights this group's religious and oral traditions, both of which they are well known for. Their religious traditions include a sophisticated cosmology, a tradition of mask making, and unique architecture. Their rich oral tradition has preserved their history and traditional knowledge of the cosmos and their place within it.

This cinematic journey uncovers the shifting attitudes towards Native Americans, oscillating between the revered "Noble Savage" and the feared "Savage Savage." As the U.S. expands westward, encroaching on Native lands, tensions surge, leading to the strategic establishment of the Bozeman Trail through Sioux territory. Chief Red Cloud's fierce resistance culminates in the Treaty of Fort Laramie, a significant but fleeting victory for the Sioux. However,...

In this program, Tomiko Morimoto shares her inspiring story of survival and triumph in the face of the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. As a teenager, she watched the bombing from her schoolyard, losing her mother and grandfather in the attack. She went on to marry an American GI, become a professor at Vassar College, and at age 90 to advocate for world peace.

Augusta Savage was the first person in the U.S. to open a gallery dedicated to African American art. A Harlem Renaissance sculptor and art educator, she was also one of the first Black women art activists of her time and fought for the inclusion of Black artists in the mainstream canon. Art historian Jeffreen M. Hayes, Ph.D. explores Savage's legacy, and why her artwork has been largely erased.

Inspired by Steven M. Gillon's book, America's Reluctant Prince: The Life of John F. Kennedy Jr., this Biography special reframes the last year of Kennedy's life. The most substantive documentary to date, the film includes convincing new evidence regarding his political aspirations before his untimely death. It features memorable moments in JFK Jr.’s life including his famous speech at the 1988 DNC convention, as well as incisive interviews with...