Delve into America’s opioid crisis – in a world in which many other diseases can be traced to addictive behavior, how do addictions work, and what can the science of addiction tell us about how we can resolve this dire social issue?
Airs on WXXI-TV October 17, 2018 at 9:00 pm
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View the trailer here.
A hybrid derived from the Greek words meaning “well” and “born,” the term eugenics was coined in 1883 by Sir Francis Galton, a British cousin to Charles Darwin, to name a new “science” through which human beings might take charge of their own evolution.
The Eugenics Crusade tells the story of the unlikely –– and largely unknown –– movement that turned the fledgling scientific theory of heredity into a powerful instrument of social control. Perhaps more surprising still, American eugenics was neither the work of fanatics, nor the product of fringe science. The goal of the movement was simple and, to its disciples, laudable: to eradicate social ills by limiting the number of those considered to be genetically “unfit” –– a group that would expand to include many immigrant groups, the poor, Jews, the mentally and physically disabled, and the “morally delinquent.”
At its peak in the 1920s, the movement was in every way mainstream, packaged as a progressive quest for “healthy babies.” Its doctrines were not only popular and practiced, but codified by laws that severely restricted immigration and ultimately led to the institutionalization and sterilization of tens of thousands of American citizens. Populated by figures both celebrated and obscure, The Eugenics Crusade is an often revelatory portrait of an America at once strange and eerily familiar
Airs on WXXI-TV October 16, 2018 at 9:00 pm
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View the trailer here.
Explore the life of violinist Itzhak Perlman, a polio survivor whose parents emigrated from Poland to Israel. Conversations with musicians, friends and his wife of 50 years tell the story of this transcendent performer.
Aired October 14 at 10:00 pm
Shakespeare probably never met a Jew. Three centuries before The Merchant of Venice was written, England became the first country in medieval Europe to expel its Jewish population. Abraham addresses the ubiquitous anti-Semitism that characterized Europe in Shakespeare’s time. Comparing Shylock to the stock Jewish villain of the day, the episode looks at the efforts over the years, for better or worse, to treat him more as a victim and rescue Shakespeare from any taint of anti-Semitism.
Aired on WXXI-TV October 12, 2018 at 10:30 pm
Explore this exquisite comedy of comparison and contrast, as well as what the ultimate “ado” about “nothing” really means, with Academy Award-winning actress Helen Hunt. Much Ado About Nothing is one of 15 plays that Shakespeare set in Italy.
Aired on WXXI-TV October 12, 2018 at 9:00 pm
Follow an investigative reporter through a political thriller to expose the shadowy world of unlimited, anonymous campaign contributions threatening to upend Montana’s government and the very integrity of American democracy.
Aired on WXXI-TV October 1, 2018 at 10:00 pm
On June 6, 1944, thousands of Allied servicemen landed on the shores of northern France, tasked with liberating western Europe from Nazi tyranny. Over the ensuing hours and days, the men faced decimating machine-gun fire, mortars and artillery, eventually fighting their way inland, but not before suffering a staggering number of casualties.
To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landing, four D-Day veterans gather at the famed Museum of World War II outside of Boston, Mass. to share their experiences from that fateful “Day of Days.” Cameras eavesdrop on their conversations as they vividly recall details from their ordeal – from the perils of the amphibious assault to the invasion’s gruesome aftermath. Their interactions with one another yield long-buried, and often painful, memories. They recount their transformations from boys to men, reveal their uneasiness with the term “hero,” and grapple with why they survived when so many others did not.
Aired on WXXI-TV May 26, 2018 at 2:00 pm
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The 2018 NYS Global History and Geography Transition Regents Exam is scheduled for Tuesday, June 5 at 9:15 am.
Click here to find an hour long regents review video, along with a wealth of study resources.
This video will also air on WXXI on May 22nd at 5:00 pm. After this date, it will also be accessible in our Safari Montage Video Streaming Service.
Examine the origin, history, and impact of the 1882 law that made it illegal for Chinese workers to come to America and for Chinese nationals already here ever to become U.S. citizens. It remained in force for more than 60 years.
Airs on WXXI-TV May 29, 2018 at 8:00 pm (2 hour program)
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What is it really like to go to war? For millennia, only warriors could really answer that question. This documentary takes us inside the experience of battle and reveals the soldier’s experiences as never before. War is the ultimate paradox. Filled with terror, pain and grief, it also brings exhilaration, and a profound sense of purpose. Going to War helps us make sense of this paradox and get to the heart of what it’s like to be a soldier in times of war.
The film illuminates the experiences of training, battle, and coming home for soldiers across conflicts, revealing the universals of the warrior’s journey. Leading our exploration are Sebastian Junger, bestselling author and director of the Academy Award-nominated film Restrepo, and Karl Marlantes, decorated Marine officer and author of the bestselling novel Matterhorn and the fearless memoir What It is Like to Go to War. Both men bring firsthand experience, hard-won wisdom, and a abiding commitment to telling the warrior’s story with insight and unflinching candor.
Airs on WXXI-TV May 28, 2018 at 9:00 pm
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