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Kissinger

Aired October 28, 2025 | 2 hrs 44 min

Kissinger is the story of the brilliant powerbroker who rose to the topmost echelons of American diplomacy. Revered or reviled, Henry Kissinger’s contradictions reflect those at the heart of U.S. foreign policy in the second half of the 20th century.

Part 1

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Mr. Polaroid

Aired May 19, 2025 | 52 min

Before the iPhone, the Polaroid camera let people instantly chronicle their lives. Along with instant photo mania, its company culture became the model for Silicon Valley. Mr. Polaroid is the story of Edwin Land, the man behind the camera.

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Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP

Aired February 25, 2025 | 112 min

The story of civil rights hero Walter White — one of the most influential Black men in mid-century America and leader of the NAACP from 1929 to 1955, yet one of the least known figures in civil rights history.

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Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP (español)

Aired February 25, 2025 | 112 min

La historia de Walter White, el líder de la NAACP durante muchos años y uno de los hombres negros más influyentes del Estados Unidos de mediados del siglo XX. De AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.

Full Film

Citizen Hearst

Aired October 31, 2022 | 3 hrs 46 min

Explore the life of William Randolph Hearst, the pioneering media mogul and inspiration for Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane. Wielding unprecedented power, Hearst forever transformed the media’s role in American life and politics.

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Sandra Day O'Connor: The First

Aired July 8, 2023 | 113 min

Discover the story of the Supreme Court’s first female justice. A pioneer who both reflected and shaped an era, she was the deciding vote in cases on some of the 20th century’s most controversial issues—including race, gender and reproductive rights.

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Billy Graham

Aired May 17, 2021 | 113 min

Explore the life of one of the best-known and most influential religious leaders of the 20th century. An international celebrity by age 30, he built a media empire, preached to millions worldwide, and had the ear of tycoons, presidents and royalty.

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American Oz

Aired April 19, 2021 | 113 min

Explore the life and times of L. Frank Baum, creator of the beloved The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

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The Codebreaker

Aired April 29, 2023 | 53 min

Discover the fascinating story of Elizebeth Smith Friedman, the groundbreaking cryptanalyst who helped bring down gangsters and break up a Nazi spy ring in South America. Her work helped lay the foundation for modern codebreaking today.

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Mr. Tornado

Aired June 29, 2021 | 53 min

Mr. Tornado is the remarkable story of the man whose groundbreaking work in research and applied science saved thousands of lives and helped Americans prepare for and respond to dangerous weather phenomena.

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George W. Bush

Aired May 5, 2020 | 3 hrs 46 min

The latest in our award-winning series of presidential biographies, this film looks at the life and presidency of George W. Bush, from his unorthodox road to the presidency to the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the myriad of challenges he faced over his two terms, from the war in Iraq to the 2008 financial crisis.

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The Feud

Aired September 10, 2019 | 53 min

The real story behind the Hatfields and the McCoys, the most famous family conflict in American history.

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