Making His Film Catalog, Chronicling African American Stories, More Accessible Than Ever
Newly available titles include all seasons of FINDING YOUR ROOTS, RECONSTRUCTION, MAKING BLACK AMERICA and GOSPEL
ARLINGTON, Va. (Feb. 19, 2026) — PBS today announced that it would be unlocking the catalog of one of its most prolific and celebrated documentarians, Harvard professor and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and making it available to stream with PBS Passport. PBS viewers can now access Professor Gates’ sweeping body of work chronicling the African and African American experience —from the roots of civilization to the present day — with PBS Passport, available on pbs.org and the PBS App.
The expanded collection of films by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is a comprehensive documentary archive of Black history, spanning continents, centuries, and cultural movements. The newly unified library on PBS Passport, available just in time to commemorate Black History Month, deepens PBS’s commitment to making content accessible and preserving and elevating stories foundational to the American experience.
Newly available titles include:
- AFRICA’S GREAT CIVILIZATIONS
- MAKING BLACK AMERICA: THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
- GOSPEL
- THE BLACK CHURCH: THIS IS OUR STORY, THIS IS OUR SONG
- BLACK AMERICA SINCE MLK: AND STILL I RISE
- RECONSTRUCTION: AMERICA AFTER THE CIVIL WAR
- FINDING YOUR ROOTS: Seasons 3 – 7, expanding the collection to now include seasons 1 – 11.
Previously available titles, including GREAT MIGRATIONS: A PEOPLE ON THE MOVE and GOSPEL LIVE, will continue to stream as part of the collection.
Celebrating Black History Month with New Premieres and Curated Playlists
In addition to the Gates collection, PBS is commemorating 100 years of national Black History Month observances with powerful premieres, curated digital content, and educational resources available across broadcast, streaming, and digital platforms. New this year is the four-part documentary BLACK AND JEWISH AMERICA: AN INTERWOVEN HISTORY by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., which explores the complex relationship between Black Americans and Jewish Americans — forged in shared struggle, tested by division, and reflective of a uniquely American story. As the nation grapples with rising hate crimes, the series examines solidarity and division between these communities in hopes of buoying an age-old alliance against hate. The series is currently streaming on PBS.org, the PBS App, YouTube and PBS Documentaries on Prime Video.
The twelfth season of FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., continues its groundbreaking exploration of celebrity family histories through genealogical research and cutting-edge DNA analysis. Notable Black guests this season include musicians Wiz Khalifa, Lizzo, and Rhiannon Giddens; actors Sanaa Lathan, Delroy Lindo, and Danielle Deadwyler; basketball stars Brittney Griner and Chris Paul; and filmmaker Spike Lee.
Season 12 episodes streaming this month include:
- “Great Migrations” – Wiz Khalifa and Sanaa Lathan discover ancestors who left the American South, breaking racial barriers.
- “Caribbean Roots” – Liza Colón-Zayas and Delroy Lindo explore their Caribbean heritage.
- “Love & Basketball” – Brittney Griner and Chris Paul trace their family trees.
- “Family Harmonies” – Lizzo and Flea uncover surprising musical roots.
- “Artistic Roots” (Premieres February 24) – Spike Lee and Kristin Chenoweth map their ancestry.
Black History Month programming is available across PBS (check local listings), PBS.org, and the PBS App — available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and VIZIO. PBS showcases the African American experience throughout February, and all year long, through curated digital hubs, editorial features, and social storytelling, including:
- Article: What to Watch – Black History Month
- Culture Hub: Celebrating Black History Month
- Documentaries & Indie Films Hub - Civil Rights Documentaries
- Arts Hub - Black Artist Visionaries
On YouTube, PBS Digital Studios’ “Celebrating Black History” playlist highlights digital-first storytelling centered on Black voices, culture, and history.
PBS LearningMedia is a free educational resource that includes curriculum-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more for educators nationwide. It curates a Black History Month collection to showcase Black excellence through contributions, achievements, and ideas across subjects and eras.
For younger audiences, PHOEBE & JAY, a fun, literacy-focused animated series for children ages 3-5, is available on PBS KIDS. The series follows charismatic fraternal twins Phoebe and Jay Yarber as they use literacy skills to explore their world. PBS KIDS also has a Black History Month playlist available for children, educators, and parents.
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About PBS
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 36 million adults on linear primetime television, 16 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, 56 million viewers on YouTube, and 10 million followers on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook, Instagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on X.