Detroit Public TV | Highlights & Specials. Living the Dream. Black History Month Specials

Detroit Public Television is pleased to salute Black History Month, February 1-28, 2005 with several special programs.

American Black Journal, Sundays at 6:30 p.m., repeating Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.

America Beyond the Color Line with Henry Louis Gates Jr., Tuesdays, 2/1-22, 5-6 a.m.

The head of Afro-American Studies at Harvard University travels to different parts of the country to examine the black community's role in American society.

The Quiltmakers of Gee's Bend
Saturday, 2/5, 3-4 a.m., repeating Sunday, 2/20, 12-1 a.m.

This is a film about the women of Gee's Bend, Alabama, who, for more than 150 years, have crafted quilts reflecting their history and daily lives. Over generations, they worked in isolation, continuing to inhabit the remote plantation land their parents once slaved. Today, art critics worldwide compare them to the great creative enclaves of the Italian Renaissance.

Independent Lens "February One: The Story of the Greensboro Four"
Sunday, 2/6, 11 p.m. - 12 a.m.

On February 1, 1960, four college students staged a sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. An intimate portrait of four friends, this film explains what led them to protest and the impact that decision had on their lives.

When I Fall in Love: The One & Only Nat King Cole
Monday, 2/7, 9-10 p.m.

When I Fall in Love features uncut musical performances by the legendary Cole, and is mastered from original kinescopes of his groundbreaking television series of the 1950s. The program combines Cole's best solo performances, duets with his renowned guests, and interviews with his family members and professional colleagues.

God's Trombones
Tuesday, 2/8, 4:30-5 a.m.

A Trilogy of African-American poems written by James Weldon Johnson. The first one titled The Creation is an Academy Award nominee narrated by James Earl Jones. This is artistically portrayed in a clay-painting by Joan Gratz, an Oscar winner herself. The poem opens with these haunting words, "And God stepped out on space, and he looked around and said, 'I'm lonely, I'll make me a world.'" The second poem, The Prodigal Son includes these memorable lines, "Young man, young man, your arms too short to box with God." In the final poem, Go Down Death, we hear the sorrow-filled, yet hopeful prayer, "Weep not, weep not. She is not dead. She's resting in the bosom of Jesus. Heart-broken husband weep no more."

Alma's Jazzy Marriage
Wednesday, 2/9, 5:30-6 a.m.

In Alma's Jazzy Marriage, Alma Foster recalls her life with her husband, seminal jazz bassist George "Pops" Foster. Foster popularized the slap bass style, an innovation which changed jazz's rhythm section forever. Alma's Jazzy Marriage is a behind the scenes look at some of the giants of jazz, told from a woman's perspective - from Harlem in the 1920s and '30s, through hilarious road trips and life in San Francisco. Family photos and archival film, as well as a rare interview with Alma, whose memory and wit "as sharp as a 10-penny nail," bring this duo's colorful marriage to life.

Slavery and the Making of America
Wednesdays, 2/9-16, 9-11 p.m., repeating Sundays, 2/13-20, 4-6 a.m. and 3-5 p.m.

This groundbreaking film chronicles the institution of American slavery from its origins in 1619 through the arrival of the first 11 slaves in the northern colonies, the American Revolution, the Civil War, the adoption of the 13th Amendment and Reconstruction. The four hour series offers unprecedented breadth, new facts and new perspectives on slavery that challenge long-held notions and highlight the contradictions of a country that embraced slavery but was founded on the belief in freedom for all.

Film Fest "In the Heat of the Night"
Friday, 2/11, 9-11 p.m., repeating Saturday, 2/12, 1:15-3 a.m.

A redneck southern sheriff grudgingly accepts help from a big-city black detective in solving a bizarre murder. Starring Sidney Poitier (Virgil Tibbs), Rod Steiger (Bill Gillespie), Warren Oates (Sam Wood) and Lee Grant (Leslie Colbert).

Marsalis Family: A Jazz Celebration
Saturday, 2/12, 3-4 a.m.

This performance special salutes legendary teacher Ellis Marsalis. The program features his sons - Wynton (trumpeter and composer), Branford (saxophonist and composer), Delfeayo (trombonist and record producer) and Jason (drummer) - and Marsalis student Harry Connick Jr. (pianist, vocalist, composer, bandleader).

In the Frame "African American Art"
Saturday, 2/12, 5:30-6 p.m. ET and Wednesday, 2/16, 5-5:30 p.m. ET
In July of 2000, the DIA created the General Motors Center for African American Art, a new curatorial department and resource center. This department is a natural extension of the DIA's commitment to African American Art. The center is currently organizing an exhibition comprised of works from the Walter O. Evans Collection of African American Art, scheduled for 2006.

A Conversation with Dr. Bill Cosby
Sunday, 2/13, 7-8 p.m., repeating Wednesday, 2/16, 5-6 a.m. and Sunday, 2/20, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Bill Cosby talks with 2000 Detroit parents in A Conversation with Dr. Bill Cosby, hosted by Detroit Free Press columnist and DPTV host Rochelle Riley. Cosby and other featured guests speak to parents about taking more responsibility for their children's mental and physical health as they grow. With the support of DTE Energy Foundation.

P.O.V. "Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed"
Sunday, 2/13, 11 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.

In 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first black woman elected to Congress, and in 1972 she became the first to run for the highest office in this nation. The film recounts the story of the motley crew that supported her and the political establishment that shunned her.

Bob Marley: Rebel Music, An "American Masters" Special
Sunday, 2/13, 12:30-2 a.m.

Bob Marley may not have invented reggae, but he became its foremost practitioner and emissary, embodying its spirit and spreading its gospel to all corners of the globe. This 90-minute documentary features extensive footage of Marley that has never been seen before: home movies shot in Jamaica and the United States, early studio performances, in-depth interviews and dynamic, newly discovered concert footage. Through news and archival footage of the era, together with Marley's words and music, the program provides original and revealing insights into the music, politics and the spiritual inspiration of the world's greatest reggae superstar.

Sammy Davis, Jr: Singing at His Best
Monday, 2/14, 9-10 p.m.

Sammy Davis Jr. may well have been the most versatile man in the history of show business. He could sing, dance, do impressions, and perform comedy and drama, on Broadway and in film. Sammy Davis, Jr: Singing at His Best presents a collection of the star's performances spanning his storied career from the time he was seven years old to his death on May 16th, 1990. Upbeat and nostalgic, this program illustrates why this legendary performer is so fondly remembered.

Briars in the Cotton Patch: The Story of Koinonia Farm
Sunday, 2/20, 1-2 a.m.

This program explores the unknown story of Koinonia Farm, which may have been the most daring social experiment in the South during the last century. Blacks and whites lived together on the Georgia farm, broke bread at the same table and were paid the same wages. The commune, started in 1942, became the target of white anger - with bombs, boycotts and shootings. Out of this violent history grew the worldwide movement of Habitat for Humanity International.

American Experience "Malcolm X: Make It Plain"
Monday, 2/21, 9-11:30 p.m.

Filmmaker Orlando Bagwell paints the portrait of a man who expressed the anger of African Americans and their insistence on dignity and freedom. Including archival material and unprecedented interviews with associates and family members - Malcolm's brothers and sisters and wife Betty Shabazz - this definitive biography of Malcolm X reflects the intellectual journey of a complex man whose ideas continue to resonate.

I Am A Man
Sunday, 2/27, 4-5 a.m.

I Am A Man explores, interrogates and dissects the notion of Black masculinity in today's contemporary society. This is a documentary that examines what it means to be a man and more specifically a Black Man in today's society.

I Was Born a Black Woman (Nasci Mulher Negra)
Sunday, 2/27, 5-6 a.m.

I Was Born A Black Woman is an exploration of Brazilian race relations as seen through the eyes of Benedita da Silva, the first Afro-Brazilian female Senator.

The Sphinx Finals Concert 2005
Sunday, 2/27, 3-4 p.m., repeating Monday, 2/28, 10-11 p.m.

Inside Jazz: Everybody's Welcome
Sunday, 2/27, 4-5 p.m. ET

Independent Lens "Thunder in Guyana"
Sunday, 2/27, 11 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET

Considered one of the founders of Guyana, Janet Rosenberg Jagan was elected Guyana's president seven years ago, becoming the first American-born woman to lead a nation. Interweaving Jagan's family history with Guyanese history, this documentary tells the extraordinary life story of one unconventional woman.

American Experience "The Murder of Emmett Till"
Monday, 2/28, 9-10 p.m.
In August of 1955, three months after Brown v. Board of Education, 14-year-old Emmett Till traveled from his home in Chicago to visit relatives in Mississippi. It was his first visit to the South. Unschooled in the region's racial customs and full of adolescent bravado, he whistled at Carolyn Bryant, a white woman. His inadvertent violation of a sacred code of the South cost him his life. American Experience "The Murder of Emmett Till" recounts the murder of Till and the trial of his killers.

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Black History Month Specials Detroit Public Television is pleased to salute Black History Month, February 1-28, 2005 with several special programs.
American Black Journal, Sundays at 6:30 p.m., repeating Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. America Beyond the Color Line with Henry Louis Gates Jr., Tuesdays, 2/1-22, 5-6 a.m. The head of Afro-American Studies at Harvard University travels to different parts of the country to examine the black community's role in American society. Buy It Rent It The Quiltmakers of Gee's Bend Saturday, 2/5, 3-4 a.m., repeating Sunday, 2/20, 12-1 a.m. This is a film about the women of Gee's Bend, Alabama, who, for more than 150 years, have crafted quilts reflecting their history and daily lives. Over generations, they worked in isolation, continuing to inhabit the remote plantation land their parents once slaved. Today, art critics worldwide compare them to the great creative enclaves of the Italian Renaissance. Buy It Rent It Independent Lens "February One: The Story of the Greensboro Four" Sunday, 2/6, 11 p.m. - 12 a.m. On February 1, 1960, four college students staged a sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. An intimate portrait of four friends, this film explains what led them to protest and the impact that decision had on their lives. When I Fall in Love: The One & Only Nat King Cole Monday, 2/7, 9-10 p.m. When I Fall in Love features uncut musical performances by the legendary Cole, and is mastered from original kinescopes of his groundbreaking television series of the 1950s. The program combines Cole's best solo performances, duets with his renowned guests, and interviews with his family members and professional colleagues. God's Trombones Tuesday, 2/8, 4:30-5 a.m. A Trilogy of African-American poems written by James Weldon Johnson. The first one titled The Creation is an Academy Award nominee narrated by James Earl Jones. This is artistically portrayed in a clay-painting by Joan Gratz, an Oscar winner herself. The poem opens with these haunting words, "And God stepped out on space, and he looked around and said, 'I'm lonely, I'll make me a world.'" The second poem, The Prodigal Son includes these memorable lines, "Young man, young man, your arms too short to box with God." In the final poem, Go Down Death, we hear the sorrow-filled, yet hopeful prayer, "Weep not, weep not. She is not dead. She's resting in the bosom of Jesus. Heart-broken husband weep no more." Alma's Jazzy Marriage Wednesday, 2/9, 5:30-6 a.m. In Alma's Jazzy Marriage, Alma Foster recalls her life with her husband, seminal jazz bassist George "Pops" Foster. Foster popularized the slap bass style, an innovation which changed jazz's rhythm section forever. Alma's Jazzy Marriage is a behind the scenes look at some of the giants of jazz, told from a woman's perspective - from Harlem in the 1920s and '30s, through hilarious road trips and life in San Francisco. Family photos and archival film, as well as a rare interview with Alma, whose memory and wit "as sharp as a 10-penny nail," bring this duo's colorful marriage to life. Slavery and the Making of America Wednesdays, 2/9-16, 9-11 p.m., repeating Sundays, 2/13-20, 4-6 a.m. and 3-5 p.m. This groundbreaking film chronicles the institution of American slavery from its origins in 1619 through the arrival of the first 11 slaves in the northern colonies, the American Revolution, the Civil War, the adoption of the 13th Amendment and Reconstruction. The four hour series offers unprecedented breadth, new facts and new perspectives on slavery that challenge long-held notions and highlight the contradictions of a country that embraced slavery but was founded on the belief in freedom for all. Visit PBS Previews Film Fest "In the Heat of the Night" Friday, 2/11, 9-11 p.m., repeating Saturday, 2/12, 1:15-3 a.m. A redneck southern sheriff grudgingly accepts help from a big-city black detective in solving a bizarre murder. Starring Sidney Poitier (Virgil Tibbs), Rod Steiger (Bill Gillespie), Warren Oates (Sam Wood) and Lee Grant (Leslie Colbert). Marsalis Family: A Jazz Celebration Saturday, 2/12, 3-4 a.m. This performance special salutes legendary teacher Ellis Marsalis. The program features his sons - Wynton (trumpeter and composer), Branford (saxophonist and composer), Delfeayo (trombonist and record producer) and Jason (drummer) - and Marsalis student Harry Connick Jr. (pianist, vocalist, composer, bandleader). In the Frame "African American Art" Saturday, 2/12, 5:30-6 p.m. ET and Wednesday, 2/16, 5-5:30 p.m. ET In July of 2000, the DIA created the General Motors Center for African American Art, a new curatorial department and resource center. This department is a natural extension of the DIA's commitment to African American Art. The center is currently organizing an exhibition comprised of works from the Walter O. Evans Collection of African American Art, scheduled for 2006.	A Conversation with Dr. Bill Cosby Sunday, 2/13, 7-8 p.m., repeating Wednesday, 2/16, 5-6 a.m. and Sunday, 2/20, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Bill Cosby talks with 2000 Detroit parents in A Conversation with Dr. Bill Cosby, hosted by Detroit Free Press columnist and DPTV host Rochelle Riley. Cosby and other featured guests speak to parents about taking more responsibility for their children's mental and physical health as they grow. With the support of DTE Energy Foundation. P.O.V. "Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed" Sunday, 2/13, 11 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. In 1968, Shirley Chisholm became the first black woman elected to Congress, and in 1972 she became the first to run for the highest office in this nation. The film recounts the story of the motley crew that supported her and the political establishment that shunned her. Bob Marley: Rebel Music, An "American Masters" Special Sunday, 2/13, 12:30-2 a.m. Bob Marley may not have invented reggae, but he became its foremost practitioner and emissary, embodying its spirit and spreading its gospel to all corners of the globe. This 90-minute documentary features extensive footage of Marley that has never been seen before: home movies shot in Jamaica and the United States, early studio performances, in-depth interviews and dynamic, newly discovered concert footage. Through news and archival footage of the era, together with Marley's words and music, the program provides original and revealing insights into the music, politics and the spiritual inspiration of the world's greatest reggae superstar. Sammy Davis, Jr: Singing at His Best Monday, 2/14, 9-10 p.m. Sammy Davis Jr. may well have been the most versatile man in the history of show business. He could sing, dance, do impressions, and perform comedy and drama, on Broadway and in film. Sammy Davis, Jr: Singing at His Best presents a collection of the star's performances spanning his storied career from the time he was seven years old to his death on May 16th, 1990. Upbeat and nostalgic, this program illustrates why this legendary performer is so fondly remembered. Briars in the Cotton Patch: The Story of Koinonia Farm Sunday, 2/20, 1-2 a.m. This program explores the unknown story of Koinonia Farm, which may have been the most daring social experiment in the South during the last century. Blacks and whites lived together on the Georgia farm, broke bread at the same table and were paid the same wages. The commune, started in 1942, became the target of white anger - with bombs, boycotts and shootings. Out of this violent history grew the worldwide movement of Habitat for Humanity International. Buy It Rent It American Experience "Malcolm X: Make It Plain" Monday, 2/21, 9-11:30 p.m. Filmmaker Orlando Bagwell paints the portrait of a man who expressed the anger of African Americans and their insistence on dignity and freedom. Including archival material and unprecedented interviews with associates and family members - Malcolm's brothers and sisters and wife Betty Shabazz - this definitive biography of Malcolm X reflects the intellectual journey of a complex man whose ideas continue to resonate. I Am A Man Sunday, 2/27, 4-5 a.m. I Am A Man explores, interrogates and dissects the notion of Black masculinity in today's contemporary society. This is a documentary that examines what it means to be a man and more specifically a Black Man in today's society. I Was Born a Black Woman (Nasci Mulher Negra) Sunday, 2/27, 5-6 a.m. I Was Born A Black Woman is an exploration of Brazilian race relations as seen through the eyes of Benedita da Silva, the first Afro-Brazilian female Senator. The Sphinx Finals Concert 2005 Sunday, 2/27, 3-4 p.m., repeating Monday, 2/28, 10-11 p.m. Inside Jazz: Everybody's Welcome Sunday, 2/27, 4-5 p.m. ET Independent Lens "Thunder in Guyana" Sunday, 2/27, 11 p.m. - 12 a.m. ET Considered one of the founders of Guyana, Janet Rosenberg Jagan was elected Guyana's president seven years ago, becoming the first American-born woman to lead a nation. Interweaving Jagan's family history with Guyanese history, this documentary tells the extraordinary life story of one unconventional woman. American Experience "The Murder of Emmett Till" Monday, 2/28, 9-10 p.m. In August of 1955, three months after Brown v. Board of Education, 14-year-old Emmett Till traveled from his home in Chicago to visit relatives in Mississippi. It was his first visit to the South. Unschooled in the region's racial customs and full of adolescent bravado, he whistled at Carolyn Bryant, a white woman. His inadvertent violation of a sacred code of the South cost him his life. American Experience "The Murder of Emmett Till" recounts the murder of Till and the trial of his killers. Buy It Rent It
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