The Butler
Cecil Gaines was a sharecropper's son who grew up in the 1920s as a domestic servant for the white family who casually destroyed his. Eventually striking out on his own, Cecil becomes a hotel valet of such efficiency and discreteness in the 1950s that he becomes a butler in the White House itself. There, Cecil would serve numerous US Presidents over the decades as a passive witness of history with the American Civil Rights Movement gaining momentum even as his family has troubles of its own. As his wife, Gloria, struggles with alcoholism and his defiant eldest son, Louis, strives for a just world, Cecil must decide whether he should take action in his own way.
Natchez
Filmmaker Suzannah Herbert takes a sharp look at the American South’s unreconciled history through a Mississippi town that mixes antebellum tourism with a community deeply divided over its past. With an unflinching lens, the film captures the debates, memories, and tensions that are building toward a reckoning.
Lakota Nation vs. United States
Poet Layli Long Soldier crafts a searing portrait of her Oyate’s connection to the Black Hills, through first contact and broken treaties to the promise of the Land Back movement, in this lyrical testament to resilience of a nation.
Abe Lincoln in Illinois
Abe Lincoln in Illinois is a 1940 biographical film which tells the story of the life of Abraham Lincoln from his departure from Kentucky until his election as President of the United States.
Uncle Sam Magoo
Join Mr. Magoo as Uncle Sam, on an all-American animated adventure through our nation's history. Pull up a chair at the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving, march in line with Davy Crockett and dig for gold in California. After all...in Magoo we trust!
Jesse James: Legend, Outlaw, Terrorist
One of the most controversial figures in U.S. history, Jesse James has captured the imagination of the world for more than a century. Teen guerilla fighter, Civil War soldier, notorious bandit, James holds a place in popular legend like no other. Through expert accounts, historic analysis and forensic science, this revealing exposé traces the outlaw's life from his humble Southern childhood through his rise to infamy and his mysterious death.
Gettysburg - An American Story
The 1st Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment fought bravely and gallantly during the Civil War. Their regiment was the first to sign up for the Union army and arrived at Gettysburg with less than 300 survivors. Many more would sacrifice their lives there as the men of the 1st Minnesota were twice at the center of a battle that decided America?s future. As the US commemorates the 150 year anniversary of Gettysburg, HUSH follows their journey from 1861 to 1865, through the milestones of the Civil War into the deciding battles of the historic conflict, and asks: What was the war really all about? What role did slavery and civil rights play in the conflict? What did the brave men and women fight for, and why is it still relevant to American politics and society today.
American Jerusalem: Jews and the Making of San Francisco
The pioneer Jews of San Francisco arrived from Germany during the Gold Rush and were instrumental in building the city. The roles they were relegated to in the Old World -- peddler and petty merchant -- were highly valued in the Gold Rush. The openness of Gold Rush California allowed these Jews to assimilate far more and have a greater impact on the building and defining of a major city than any other Jewish community in America. But this acceptance came at a price -- assimilation put this community in danger of losing its Jewish identity.
Born Again: George Whitefield
In the 18th-century, one of the most revered preachers in modern history led a cultural revolution through the United States and Britain.
A Young Altoona
A short documentary looking at Altoona in its heyday.