Iowa Public Television Celebrates Black History Month

JOHNSTON, IOWA - Join Iowa Public Television in celebrating Black History Month this February with timely, educational programs highlighting poignant stories of courage, strength and perseverance. These programs will engage viewers in community conversations, exploring African-American history and culture.

The scheduled programming will appear on IPTV as follows:

Africa's Great Civilizations- Beginning with Africa's ancient history as the cradle of mankind, this documentary series with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. brings to life the epic stories of both little-known and celebrated African kingdoms and cultures. (February 27-March 1 at 8 p.m.)

Austin City Limits: Cece Winans/St. Paul & The Broken Bones- Enjoy an hour of soul and gospel. Grammy-winning legend CeCe Winans sings new songs and classics from her catalog, while breakout sensations St. Paul & the Broken Bones support their acclaimed album Sea of Noise. (Friday, February 10 at 11 p.m.)

Finding Your Roots: Family Reunions- Uncover family mysteries about two legends of hip hop, Sean Combs and LL Cool J, through the use of DNA technology that reveals information that shakes their very foundations. (Tuesday, February 28 at 7 p.m.)

Independent Lens
* Accidental Courtesy-Meet African-American musician Daryl Davis, who has a peculiar passion - meeting and befriending members of the Ku Klux Klan in an attempt to change their minds and forge racial conciliation, one racist at a time. (Sunday, February 19 at 11 p.m.)
* Birth of a Movement- Learn how D.W. Griffith's 1915 The Birth of a Nation unleashed a battle still waging today about race relations and representation, and the power and influence of Hollywood. (Sunday, February 12 at 11 p.m.)

John Lewis-Get in the Way- As one of the original Freedom Riders and the youngest speaker at the 1963 march on Washington, Rep. John Lewis was a key figure of the civil rights movement. This program follows Lewis today, and tells the stories of his role in the civil rights movement and his early political career. (Friday, February 24 at 10 p.m.)

Maya Angelou: American Masters-Journey through the prolific life of the I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings author and activist who inspired generations with lyrical modern African-American thought. The program features new interviews with Oprah Winfrey, Common, former President Bill and Hillary Clinton and others. (Tuesday, February 21 at 7 p.m.)

Mercy Street-Follow the growing chaos at Alexandria's Mansion House, the precarious position of the Green family and the changing situation of the burgeoning black population. (Sundays, February 5-19 at 7 p.m.)

Rise of the Black Pharaohs-Learn about the African Kushites who overthrew the ancient Egyptians and ruled for nearly 100 years. (Sunday, February 19 at 4 p.m.)

Smokey Robinson: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song-Enjoy an all-star tribute to Smokey Robinson, the 2016 recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. (Friday, February 10 at 9 p.m.)

The Talk-Race in America-In the wake of recent tragic and fatal events between men of color and law enforcement, learn how black and Hispanic families counsel their kids to stay safe if they are stopped by the police. (Monday, February 20 at 8 p.m.)

Learn more at Iptv.org.

For more information about Iowa Public Television, please contact Susan Ramsey at 515.725.9703 or Susan.Ramsey@iptv.org.

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Iowa Public Television is Iowa's statewide public broadcasting network. IPTV provides quality, noncommercial programming to make a difference in the lives of Iowans. As one of the last locally controlled media enterprises in the state, IPTV is committed to telling Iowa's stories like no one else can. Our mission to educate, inform, enrich, and inspire Iowans enables IPTV to present an unequaled array of programs of lasting value to Iowans regardless of where they live or what they can afford. More than 2 million viewers a month turn to IPTV for programming that reflects a range of interests for Iowans in all demographic categories. Iowa Public Television offers three programming channels statewide: IPTV, IPTV LEARNS and IPTV WORLD. Iowa Public Television stations include: Channel 11, Des Moines; Channel 12, Iowa City; Channel 21, Fort Dodge; Channel 24, Mason City; Channel 27, Sioux City; Channel 32, Waterloo; Channel 32, Council Bluffs; Channel 36, Davenport; Channel 36, Red Oak. Information on programming channels, reception and more can be found at Iptv.org.