WETA

In 1989, five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem were arrested and later convicted of raping a white woman in New York City's Central Park. They spent between 6 and 13 years in prison before a serial rapist confessed that he alone had committed the crime, leading to their convictions being overturned. Set against a backdrop of a decaying city beset by violence and racial tension, this is the story of that horrific crime, the rush to judgment by the police, a media clamoring for sensational stories and an outraged public, and the five lives upended by this miscarriage of justice.

The story of the Medal of Honor - the highest U.S. award for valor in combat - is told through personal accounts of bravery and daring

Arguably one of the most fateful and resonant events of the last half millennium, the Pilgrims journey west across the Atlantic in the early 17th century is a seminal, if often misunderstood episode of American and world history. The Pilgrims explores the forces, circumstances, personalities and events that converged to exile the English group in Holland and eventually propel their crossing to the New World; a story universally familiar in broad outline, but almost entirely unfamiliar to a general audience in its rich and compelling historical actuality. Includes the real history of the "first thanksgiving".

After getting her start in coffee shops Joni Mitchell went on to set a new standard, marrying music and lyrics with such songs as “Both Sides, Now.” While her early material is often categorized as “folk,” she became a household name with music that defies categorization.

Join an American couple’s courageous mission in 1939 to help refugees escape Nazi-occupied Europe. Over the course of two years, the pair will risk their lives so that hundreds can live in freedom.

Celebrate the work of beloved actress, comedian, and producer Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the latest recipient of The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. From the stage of The John F. Kennedy Center, a star-studded lineup salutes the achievements of the comedic trailblazer.

Shedding new light on a geopolitical hot spot, the film — written and produced by John Maggio and narrated by Korean-American actor John Cho — confronts the myth of the “Forgotten War,” documenting the post-1953 conflict and global consequences.

An outstanding lineup of entertainers gathers in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall to salute Jon Stewart, recipient of the 23rd annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

A look at deaf culture from the 19th century to the present.

Largely considered to be the greatest American author, Mark Twain is celebrated in this exhaustive documentary by filmmaker Ken Burns.

The Mayo Clinic tells the story of a unique medical institution that has been called a "Medical Mecca," the "Supreme Court of Medicine," and the "place for hope where there is no hope." The Mayo Clinic began in 1883 as an unlikely partnership between the Sisters of Saint Francis and a country doctor named William Worrall Mayo after a devastating tornado in rural Minnesota. Since then, it has grown into an organization that treats more than a million patients a year from all 50 states and 150 countries. Dr. Mayo had a simple philosophy he imparted to his sons Will and Charlie: "the needs of the patient come first." They wouldn't treat diseases...they would treat people. In a world where healthcare delivery is typically fragmented among individual specialties, the Mayo Clinic practices a multi-specialty, team-based approach that has, from its beginnings, created a culture that thrives on collaboration.

A student group called Otpor! ("Resistance!" in Serbian) forms part of the nonviolent opposition movement that toppled the regime of Slobodan Milosevic.

Spurred on by the death of her husband, Peabody-award winning NPR journalist Diane Rehm crosses the country to investigate the right-to-die movement in America.

Arthur is asked to pick up a bird for Thanksgiving dinner, so he brings home a 266-pound chicken named Henrietta. The family welcome her with open arms, but the neighbors are not so sure and then Henrietta escapes.

Artists from across the musical spectrum will join the national library and U.S. leaders to honor the great songwriting duo of Elton John and Bernie Taupin, the 2024 recipients of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The lineup includes Joni Mitchell, Garth Brooks, Brandi Carlile, Annie Lennox, Metallica, Maren Morris, Billy Porter, Charlie Puth and Jacob Lusk of Gabriels.

The life of the famed illustrator NC Wyeth as told by his children: Andrew Wyeth, Henriette Wyeth Hurd, Caroline Wyeth, Nat Wyeth, and Ann Wyeth McCoy.

The Miami-Dade Community Mental Health Project comes to life in this documentary, following a team of dedicated public servants working through the courts to steer people with mental illness on a path from incarceration to recovery.

Commemorating the 60th anniversary of his 1960 Grand Ole Opry induction, Hank Locklin: Country Music’s Timeless Tenor recalls the unquestionable talent, unorthodox career path and notable contributions of prolific songwriter, Grammy-nominated recording artist and Grand Ole Opry star Hank Locklin.

Audubon: Naturalist and 19th century painter, John James Audubon was one of the most remarkable men of early America. A contemporary of Lewis & Clark and Davey Crockett, he explored the American frontier in search of ""the feathered tribes"" he loved and studied. A self-taught artist and ornithologist, he left a legacy of art and science that made him famous in his lifetime and endures to this day. His portrait hangs in the White House, his statue stands over the entrance to the American Museum of Natural History, and his name was adopted by the nation's first conservation organization. The program, filmed in locations where Audubon painted, brings to life his timeless paintings with dazzling footage of the living birds he immortalized - and celebrates visually the natural world he described in his writings. Interviews reveal the man, explore his art, and put his groundbreaking work in modern perspective.

The stories behind many medal of honor winners, as told by their recipients, observers and the official records. The documentary features interviews and archive footage.