Posts Tagged ‘PBS’
Learn About Humanity’s Journey Out Of Africa And Into The Wider World In The “Great Human Odyssey” (Trailer)
July 5, 2017
Humanity started in Africa. We’re on the same page with that, right. Science!
But let’s go deeper in depth with NOVA’s and PBS’ help. How did ancient humans make their ways to all corners of the Earth; not only surviving Africa but leaving it and coming to thrive as distant disparate populations in the various regions in which they finally settled? HUGE question. And there are more that will be addressed in the “Great Human Odyssey” documentary (available on PBS, and now on Netflix).
Posted in Education, Film, History, Investigation, Science, Television, Trailer, Videos | 
Tags: Great Human Odyssey, Great Human Odyssey Preview, Netflix, NOVA, PBS, Public Broadcasting Service | 
No Comments »
Charlie Musselwhite & Nas Speak On The Music Of The 1920s And Of Today (Teaser Trailer)
May 15, 2017
They were rapping about street life and gangsta life…
Nas, Speaking On “On the Road Again†By Memphis Jug Band
A great look for PBS, this episode of “American Epic Sessions” features Charlie Musselwhite (of Memphis Jug Band) and Nas. That line from Greg Nice comes to mind: This is how we take the old to the new. Hear Nas speak on the timelessness and relevance of Musselwhite’s music. And see a bit of the performance of Nas’ cover of “On the Road Againâ€
(Hip-Hop flavor from the 1920s. Cool!)
Winning Performance: Tank And The Bangas (Video)
March 10, 2017
Meet New Orleans’ Tank and The Bangas — winner of the 2017 Tiny Desk Contest.
– PBS
Now you know we are all about the PBS ‘Tiny Desk Concert’ series on here. But who knew there was a contest and that a winning group like this would get pulled into the national spotlight?? Easy bet that Tank and The Bangas will be hitting more than a few more stages as more and more folks see what they can do in this clip. Looks like they are having fun and that they can bring the fun to any function. Check ’em out!
– @ojones1
Watch The First 2 Hours Of PBS’ Documentary Series “Africa’s Great Civilizations” (Video)
March 2, 2017
Yes indeed. PBS’ 6-hour documentary series “Africa’s Great Civilizations†(hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr.) hit the airwaves as advertised, February 27th through March 1st; shedding light on the stories, kingdoms and cultures of Africa. Groundbreaking and enriching. Fertile soil for fruitful discussions.
Got the first two hours for you here; hour one embedded above, with hour two after the jump. Take it as seed to build with your bretheren, your family… your human family. Africa’s history is WORLD history. Enjoy!
Posted in Education, Film, History, Investigation, Series, Television, Travel, Videos | Tags: Africa’s Great Civilizations, black history, Black History Month, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., Henry Louis Gates, Henry Louis Gates Jr., PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, Public Broadcasting System | No Comments »
Blank On Blank: Nina Simone 1968 Interview (Video)
February 22, 2017
Back in the day renowned Italian national radio on-air personality Lilian Terry recorded a favorite, long-sought celeb interview – of Nina Simone – by the skin of her teeth. See, Nina being Nina… She did not make a habit of talking to White people. And Lillian almost missed out, because she had the complexion for rejection. However, once Nina found out Lillian was ‘from Egypt’ though (born in Cairo to a father from Malta and a mother from Italy), the two were formally introduced and found themselves talking about Nefertitti and the Pharoahs in no time. Only days later Lilian went to Nina’s house in Mt. Vernon, New York, and recorded this conversation.
Posted in Animation, Celebrity, History, Series, Videos | Tags: Blank on Blank, Lilian Terry, Nina Simone, Nina Simone On Shock, PBS, PBS Digital Studios | No Comments »
Africa’s Great Civilizations (Documentary Series Trailer)
February 3, 2017
#AfricasCivilizationsPBS premieres February 27 on @PBS. Will you be watching? pic.twitter.com/zAQ60ctWRr
— Henry Louis Gates Jr (@HenryLouisGates) January 16, 2017
It’s February. Black History Month to those who want to celebrate it as that. But since we make history every month, and we predate history, let’s go with the LOVE theme (not even waiting until the 14th *wink*).
So, on everything we LOVE, the late author & renaissance man Dr. Henry Louis Gates is at bringing us this POWERFUL docu-series on “Africa’s Great Civilizations.†Stirring, speaking truth for the ages… A must-watch when it drops Monday, February 27th on PBS. Peep the trailer above.
(And don’t let “them”… any “them” tell you YOUR history. “They” should not determine YOUR place in the universe. YOU should!)
Posted in Education, Film, History, Investigation, Series, Television, Trailer, Travel, Videos | Tags: Africa’s Great Civilizations, black history, Black History Month, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., Henry Louis Gates, Henry Louis Gates Jr., PBS, Public Broadcasting System | No Comments »
Classic Clips: Stevie Wonder – “Superstition” (Live On ‘Sesame Street’) [Video]
January 1, 2017
Stevie being the genius that gave us “Superstition” is enough. But seeing him do it live… Okay, that’s incredible; and enough, to be certain. But what will make your Sunday and New Year wonderful is that Stevie Wonder rocked ‘Sesame Street’ live with that joint!
It was like a funk & soul clinic for the kids: Talk about a Children’s Television Workshop!
Blank On Blank: Stevie Wonder 2005 Interview (Video)
September 29, 2016
Incredible interview of the legend, Stevie Wonder, by British journalist Barney Hoskyns. The audio is good enough, but you know PBS Digital had to juice it up with animation in the best way. It is short but impactful nonetheless, esp. with Wonder talking about his first brush with racism.
“I think I discovered, you know, the whole thing of color when I went down South once, when my grandmother passed away,” the musician says in the video. “There were some kids, White kids that lived nearby or whatever, [that said], ‘Hey, n!gger!”
Wow.
Posted in Animation, Celebrity, History, Series, Videos | Tags: Barney Hoskyns, Blank on Blank, Keys of Life, PBS, PBS Digital Studios, Stevie Wonder | No Comments »
Nina Simone Speaks On Her Fashion Making A Statement, Black Pride And More (Video)
June 20, 2016
Great interview audio compiled by PBS Digital. Nina Simone wowing listeners right from the start: Did she say she hit the stage in an outfit that made her appear NUDE? WHOA! Talking about her baby girl and the world she will grow up in, music inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. So much in such a short clip.
Posted in Animation, Celebrity, Interview, Series, Videos, Vintage | Tags: Blank on Blank, Nina Simone, PBS, PBS Digital Studios, Shock | No Comments »
Unforgivable Blackness (Documentary Trailer)
February 29, 2016
Sometimes it takes outsiders to tell you about yourself. PBS America – out of the United Kingdom – put out this documentary on the first Black American boxing champion, Jack Johnson. Dude was ahead of his time ways that would still scare a good amount of White people today. Just saying.
This film by Ken Burns tells the story of one of the greatest boxers of all time and his refusal to accept the rules of a society that considered people of his colour to be second-class citizens. This is the story of a man who refused to recognise racial differences and who forced America to reconsider its very definition of freedom.
Check out this trailer. Watching this documentary would be the way to end your Black History Month viewing with a bang…to the rib cage. Damn. Johnson was a baaaad maaan (Muhammad Ali voice).
Posted in Celebrity, Education, Film, History, Sports, Trailer, Videos | Tags: African American, black history, Black History Month, Boxing, champion, Jack Johnson, PBS, PBS America, Public Television, Unforgivable Blackness | No Comments »
PBS: Freedom Riders (Documentary)
February 28, 2016
Wow. Another moment in American History that just so happens to fall into the Black History category. You know how when someone gets in over his head and exclaims, “I did not sign up for this!” Well, in the first few minutes of this film you see that these young adults knew EXACTLY what they signed up for… and they went anyway. Civil Rights fighters of the highest caliber. Man, the courage it must have taken for CORE (Council On Racial Equality) to get on those buses.
Watch the story of the “Freedom Riders” – expertly told by PBS.
Posted in Activism, Education, Film, History, Television, Videos | Tags: American Civil Rights Movement, black history, Black History Month, C.O.R.E., Civil Rights, CORE, Council On Racial Equality, Freedom Riders, John Lewis, PBS | No Comments »
The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross (Documentary Series)
February 27, 2016
Five centuries of history… Black History… our history. Encapsulated in an outstanding documentary mini-series you’ve gotta watch if your Black History Month is to be truly complete. Dr. Robert Louis Gates already does fine work helping celebs learn about their ancestries and themselves on “Find Your Roots.” But to teach a people, a nation, a WORLD about itself through something like this? Outstanding!
(Above is Episode 1 to get you started. Hit the jump for Episodes 2-6.)
Posted in Activism, Education, History, Series, Television, Videos | Tags: African Americans, American Civil Rights Movement, black history, Black History Month, Civil Rights, Many Rivers to Cross, PBS, Public Television, Robert Louis Gates, The African Americans, The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross | No Comments »
Eyes on the Prize Parts 1 & 2 (Documentary Series)
February 23, 2016
Not to say that any print, audio, or audio-visual work is the end-all of what Black History Month should be… But if you have not watched the PBS American Experience documentary “Eyes On The Prize,” you have NOT had Black History Month! Above, you have your chance: Part 1 (“Awakenings”) and Part 2 (“Fighting Back”) are ready for your viewing and enrichment. Arguably, the best series on the decades-long American Civil Rights Movement. Filmmaker Henry Hampton and PBS have, no doubt, taken tremendous pride in bringing this presentation to the masses over the years.
Watch. Now.
Posted in Activism, Education, Film, History, Series, Television, Videos | Tags: American Civil Rights Movement, american experience, Assassination, Awakenings, black history, Black History Month, Civil Rights, Fighting Back, Henry Hampton, March, marches, PBS, PBS American Experience, Protest, Protests, Public Television, rallies | No Comments »
Finding Your Roots: LL Cool J & Puffy Explore Their Ancestry (Video)
February 21, 2016
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, as host of the long-running PBS series, “Finding Your Roots,” takes guests LL Cool J (aka James Todd Smith) and Puffy (aka Sean Combs) on a journey of exploration… of their family trees.
Uncover family mysteries about two legends of Hip-Hop through the use of DNA technology.
– PBS Video
Posted in Celebrity, Hip-Hop, Human Interest, Series, Television, Videos | Tags: Ancestry, Diddy, DNA, family tree, Finding Your Roots, Henry Louis Gates, James Todd Smith, LL Cool J, P. Diddy, PBS, PBS Video, Public Television, Puffy, Sean Combs | No Comments »
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution (Documentary)
February 21, 2016
Found it! Right where it was supposed to be, at the PBS website. Guess other sources jumped the gun on putting it up and their videos got pulled down (delaying our sharing it with you here until now). Can’t blame them though: Viewers who missed the Public Television debut really likely really wanted to see this. Even some of those who caught it before probably wanted to see it again. Well, here it is “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of The Revolution.” Click play above; enjoy and be enriched and empowered. All Power To The People!
Directed by Stanley Nelson, this episode (and the above video embed) will be available from PBS online for watching until March 18, 2016.
Posted in Activism, Education, Film, Television, Videos | Tags: INDEPENDENT LENS, PBS, Public Television, Stanley Nelson, The Black Panthers, Vanguard of The Revolution | No Comments »
Grammy Winner D’Angelo Talks With Tavis Smiley About “Black Messiah” And More (Video)
September 25, 2015
Come to think of it: Was there ‘Neo-Soul’Â music before D’Angelo? Not much, if any. He was a founding father of the genre, so to speak. From the son of a Baptist preacher, heavily influenced by church music, to making that funky stuff that grew from steeping in all that Stevie Wonder, George Clinton, James Brown, and Prince growing up. Then he got ‘extra-grown’ for the ladies with that “Untitled (How Does It Feel)” song and video. That earned him a Grammy (Best Male R&B Vocal Performance).
And then…nothing…for like over 10 years.
Now D’Angelo is back with his latest project, “Black Messiah.” And here he is talking to Tavis about it and more. Hey, it took two episodes to convey the convo. Keep watching after the jump.
Posted in Album, Interview, R&B, Series, Soul, Television, Videos | Tags: Black Messiah, D'ANGELO, D’Angelo and The Vanguard, PBS, Tavis Smiley, The Tavis Smiley Show, The Vanguard | No Comments »
Bryant Gumbel Speaks On His Son Being Victimized By ‘Blue on Black’ Crime (Video)
August 12, 2015
For as far back as I can remember, I have stood on the ‘Blackness’ of Bryant Gumbel. Time was, back in the day (on NBC), folks thought he was a sellout or out of touch with his community (calling him way worse). His harder-hitting stances and tenure on HBO Real Sports have given him the Bryant-don’t-play-that edge that has backed haters off a bit over the years; but still, some folks were still playing him like he wasn’t Black enough.
Any haters out there left, eat it! Sh!t or d!ck, you choose. Mr. Gumbel is one of us who can articulate the struggle ALL people of color face in this life…from a personal point of view. Watch him speak on it; relating events that included cops victimizing his son.
Sportscaster and TV host Bryant Gumbel reveals his personal feelings on the recent surge of “Blue on Black” incidents involving police violence against minorities in this interview that airs on PBS on Aug. 6, 2015. For more visit www.charlierose.com.
#BlackLivesMatter
#TheyReallyShould
#EspeciallyToUsBlackFolks
#BlueOnBlackCrime
– @ojones1
Posted in Activism, Celebrity, Interview, Politics, Series, Television, Trailer, Videos | Tags: Abuse of authority, abuse of power, Blue on Black crime, Bryant Gumbel, Charlie Rose, PBS, Police brutality, walking while Black | No Comments »
Blank On Blank: John Coltrane 1966 Interview (Video)
June 2, 2015
“I want to be the force which is truly for good.”
– John Coltrane in 1966, as told Frank Kofsky
Realness. Straight from November 1966. Frank Kofsky spending a day with the great jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, conversing as they rode about and made stops here and there in Huntington, New York. Coltrane had just turned 40. He would die from liver cancer less than a year later.
Coltrane talks about moving to the country, setting up to practice, connecting with the sound of an instrument, Malcolm X, music as means of expressing that state of society, and how he wanted to change the world.
– PBS Digital Studios
Enjoy the recorded conversation set to animation. Great stuff from PBS. Give thanks.
Posted in Animation, Celebrity, History, Series, Videos | Tags: Blank on Blank, Giant Steps, John Coltrane, PBS, PBS Digital Studios | No Comments »
Blank On Blank: Robin Williams’ 1991 Playboy Interview (Video)
December 5, 2014
“Comedy is there to basically show us we fart, we laugh. To make us realize we still are part animal…. So you don’t take yourself seriously and destroy the species.â€
– Robin Williams in 1991, as told to Lawrence Grobel.
PBS’ Blank on Blank series animates Robin Williams (RIP). The animated video provides insights on the late comedy mega-celeb via his 1991 Playboy interview. Sex and orgasm faces, world economy and government, film and farts as fuel in the future… so much crazy… BUT some stuff (like coming worldwide financial collapses) were eventually on the money.
Posted in Animation, Celebrity, History, Series, Videos | Tags: 1991 Playboy Interview, Blank on Blank, PBS, PBS Digital Studios, Playboy, Robin Williams | No Comments »
Nas Explores His Ancestry On ‘Finding Your Roots’ (Video)
November 4, 2014
They paid $830 for my Great, Great, Great Grandma? I got more than that in my pocket right now…
What can humble the G.O.D.M.C. Nassir? Knowing what his people went through… and by people we mean family; and by family, his blood… And knowing that his blood (3rd Great Grandmother) was bought for, in essence to him, pocket change.
Nas encounters his 3rd Great-Grandmother’s Bill of Sale, a devastatingly telling document.
Dr. Henry Louis Gates has made his bones over at PBS by wowing celebs with the truth of their existence; helping them learn of their family heritage… so they can know from whence they came. Digging in the crates in the vaults of [family, official, and historical] records, the Doc blows Nas away, as you can see on this latest production of ‘Finding Your Roots.’
(See the entire episode, which also features the still-so-sexy actress Angela Bassett and Presidential advisor Valerie Jarrett.)
Posted in Celebrity, Hip-Hop, History, Series, Television, Videos | Tags: Ancestry, Angela Bassett, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Finding Your Roots, Heritage, Nas, PBS, Valerie Jarrett | No Comments »
