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American Experience

American Experience Season 16

Watch 'American Experience' Season 16 Online

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Season 16 Episodes

1. New York (8): The Center of the World

September 8th, 200355 min

Filmmaker Ric Burns adds a poignant postscript to his series "New York: A Documentary Film" with this chronicle of the World Trade Center's rise and fall. Burns recounts Sept. 11 wrenchingly, but he devotes more than half the film to the Center's rise. This isn't a pretty story: It's one of economic, political, architectural and engineering labyrinths. The result was a critical and commercial flop, though historian Kenneth Jackson says: "It's more important to history now that it's gone."

2. Reconstruction: The Second Civil War (1): Revolution

January 12th, 200455 min

"Reconstruction: The Second Civil War," a two-part report, follows political leaders and ordinary Americans alike as it chronicles one of the most contentious periods in American history. "An old social order had been destroyed," says Columbia University historian Eric Foner. "Everything was up for grabs." Part 1 begins with the end of the war, as President Johnson, no friend of the freed slaves, squares off against Republicans in Congress. In 1868 they pass the 14th Amendment, which is "the origin of the concept of civil rights," Foner notes. Johnson vetoed it and, says narrator Dion Graham, "the lines were drawn."

3. Reconstruction: The Second Civil War (2): Retreat

January 13th, 200455 min

"Reconstruction" concludes by following whites and blacks in Georgia, South Carolina and Louisiana between 1867 and 1877. It begins with the granting of widespread voting rights for blacks in the South, and with whites "preparing for the worst," says narrator Dion Graham. It wouldn't end that way for South Carolina rice planter Frances Butler, who was not at all pleased to "negotiate" with her family's former slaves. Their leader: Tunis Campbell, who would soon be elected to the state Senate. In Georgia, too, blacks were elected to the legislature. And in Louisiana, Vermonter Marshall Twitchell began amassing both cotton lands and political power. Local whites, who resented Twitchell deeply, called him a "carpetbagger."

4. Citizen King

January 19th, 200455 min

"Citizen King," a reverential chronicle of the final five years of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s life, employs eyewitnesses to the history King made to recall it. Among them: Coretta Scott King, former representative William Gray, author David Halberstam, civil-rights veterans Joseph Lowery, Roger Wilkins and Taylor Branch, long-time political figure Andrew Young, former senator Harris Wofford, former attorney general Ramsey Clark and theologian James Cone.

5. Remember the Alamo

February 2nd, 200455 min

"Remember the Alamo" recalls the contributions of Tejanos (Hispanic Texans) to the struggle for Texan independence. It profiles Tejano leader Jose Antonio Navarro (1795-1871), an ally of Stephen F. Austin in the effort to build up the Texas economy by luring American settlers (cotton planters particularly) in the 1820s. Navarro was also a spearhead of the revolt against Mexican general Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna in 1836.

6. Tupperware!

February 9th, 200455 min

"Modern dishes for modern living" (and they "burped," no less), sold by women at "home parties." This slice of 1950s Americana is recalled in "Tupperware!" "The era and the product were made for each other," says one of the Tupperware "ladies" who are interviewed throughout the hour. Husbands are interviewed too because Tupperware was oftentimes a family affair, with the men working behind the scenes. The man in charge: Earl Tupper, who invented the sealable plastic containers. But a woman, Brownie Wise, developed Tupperware's phenomenally successful marketing plan. What gives "Tupperware!" its bite is the fact that Tupper and Wise didn't get along.

7. Emma Goldman

April 12th, 200455 min

Recalling Emma Goldman (1869-1940), the fiery and formidable radical whose life, says narrator Blair Brown, was "dedicated to free speech, free thought and free love." This profile is sympathetic to Goldman, but she doesn't get a free ride. Indeed, historian Kevin Baker calls her anarchism "jaw-droppingly naive," and no one challenges that. No one denies her passion, either. Says playwright Tony Kushner, "She lived a life on fire."

8. Patriots Day

April 19th, 200455 min

"Patriots Day" follows Revolutionary War re-enactors as they prepare to re-fire those shots heard 'round the world on April 19, 1775, in Lexington and Concord. Filmmaker Marian Marzynski's style is low key and at times whimsical (real redcoats didn't use cell phones), but the "living historians" are serious. Says one: "It is important to understand the passion of what took place here."

9. Golden Gate Bridge

May 3rd, 200455 min

Recalling the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, a "graceful leap over an unprecedented space," as narrator David Ogden Stiers calls it. The Golden Gate presented its engineers with a "magnificent" challenge of wind, fog and colliding currents, and they succeeded so magnificently that historian Kevin Starr, the State Librarian of California, likens it to "Hamlet" or a Beethoven symphony. This hour blends technology and poetry smoothly, as does the bridge. It is, sums up Starr, "a fusion of perfections."

All Seasons

Season 36

Season 36

Jan 23, 2024
Season 35

Season 35

Jan 3, 2023
Season 34

Season 34

Feb 7, 2022
Season 33

Season 33

Jan 11, 2021
Season 32

Season 32

Jan 6, 2020
Season 31

Season 31

Jan 15, 2019
Season 30

Season 30

Jan 9, 2018
Season 29

Season 29

Jan 10, 2017
Season 28

Season 28

Jan 19, 2016
Season 27

Season 27

Jan 6, 2015
Season 26

Season 26

Jan 7, 2014
Season 25

Season 25

Jan 8, 2013
Season 24

Season 24

Jan 10, 2012
Season 23

Season 23

Oct 11, 2010
Season 22

Season 22

Nov 2, 2009
Season 21

Season 21

Jan 26, 2009
Season 20

Season 20

Jan 14, 2008
Season 19

Season 19

Oct 2, 2006
Season 18

Season 18

Oct 17, 2005
Season 17

Season 17

Oct 4, 2004
Season 16

Season 16

Sep 8, 2003
Season 15

Season 15

Nov 11, 2002
Season 14

Season 14

Sep 10, 2001
Season 13

Season 13

Oct 17, 2000
Season 12

Season 12

Nov 14, 1999
Season 11

Season 11

Nov 18, 1998
Season 10

Season 10

Oct 5, 1997
Season 9

Season 9

Oct 6, 1996
Season 8

Season 8

Oct 16, 1995
Season 7

Season 7

Oct 12, 1994
Season 6

Season 6

Oct 27, 1993
Season 5

Season 5

Sep 20, 1992
Season 4

Season 4

Sep 30, 1991
Season 3

Season 3

Aug 27, 1990
Season 2

Season 2

Oct 3, 1989
Season 1

Season 1

Oct 4, 1988
Specials

Specials

Jan 15, 2003