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Stories from the Stage • Fridays at 2:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

Sharing extraordinary tales of what it means to be human.

Stories from the Stage airs Fridays at 2:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD.

Stories have the power to astonish us, make us laugh and cry, and open our hearts to the world. Hosted by Wes Hazard and Theresa Okokon, Stories from the Stage invites storytellers from around the world to share extraordinary tales of what it means to be human. Each episode features both on-stage performances and interviews about their inspirations and craft, and the meaning behind their stories.

Shuttlesworth • WXXI-TV

A film that traces the unique crucible of Birmingham’s brutal industrial history in creating what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., called the “most segregated city in America” and the people that were willing to take it on – personified in the fearless, indomitable Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth.

Shuttlesworth airs Monday, February 17 at 9 p .m. on WXXI-TV.

His tireless work in the face of beatings at the hands of the KKK and bombing of his own home, as well as constant harassment by the police and shunning by members of his own community, was unprecedented in the Movement leadership and inspired legions of Foot Soldiers willing to follow him into the breach.

Beginning with his segregated childhood in the Oxmoor Valley, Shuttlesworth follows the reverend’s life through Bethel Baptist Church, the Birmingham Campaign and the reactionary violence unleashed by the white power structure of the city. Through this lens, Shuttlesworth examines the City of Birmingham, its unique history and culture, and how the city became the symbol for social justice and the American Civil Rights Movement.

Photo: Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth • Credit: PBS

Breaking the News Screening • The Little Theatre

Photo from Breaking the News – Independent Lens

Join WXXI for a special FREE screening and discussion of Breaking the News, a film by Heather Courtney, Princess Hairston, Chelsea Hernandez, and Diane M Quon. Frustrated by the lack of representation in the media, a group of women and LGBTQ+ journalists launched The 19th*, a digital news startup whose work is guided by elevating the voices often left out of the American story. 

Indie Lens Pop-Up presents this free screening:
On Monday, February 26 at 6:30-8:30 p.m. 
At The Little Theatre, Theatre 5
240 East Avenue, Rochester, NY

The film will be followed by a panel discussion.

Moderator: Jasmin Singer is the host of WXXI’s Weekend Edition and Environmental Connections, as well as a guest host for Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Connections.

Panelists include: Vanessa J. Cheek, vice president of social media and marketing for Rochester Association of Black Journalists (RABJ) and communications manager for Rochester’s Police Accountability Board; and Arien Rozelle, M.S., APR, Assistant Professor, Department of Media and Communications St. John Fisher University; Brianna Milon, a Communications Specialist with Action for a Better Community and a media professional who has worked in both radio and TV news.

Watch the Trailer:

Learn More: Film Website

PBS Independent Lens: Breaking the News

The 19th* Film Information

About Indie Lens Pop-Up
Indie Lens Pop-Up is a community series that brings people together for film screenings and conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on PBS’s INDEPENDENT LENS, Indie Lens Pop-Up draws local residents, leaders, and organizations to discuss what matters most. Learn more at pbs.org/indielenspopup

Presented by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Acton Family Giving, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts. Stream anytime on the PBS App. For more visit pbs.org/independentlens.

American Masters – Little Richard: The King and Queen of Rock and Roll • WXXI-TV

Experience the meteoric rise and enduring legacy of Little Richard.

American Masters – Little Richard: The King and Queen of Rock and Roll airs Thursday, July 11 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

American Masters – Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll explores the music icon’s influence and advocacy for the rights of Black artists and features interviews with Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Big Freedia and more.

A fearless pioneer of rock ‘n’ roll who broke the color barrier in the 1950s with hits like “Tutti Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally,” Little Richard defined a genre and inspired generations by defying societal expectations. Charting the meteoric rise of the artist who counted The Beatles and the Rolling Stones as his opening acts,  American Masters – Little Richard: King and Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll provides an intimate exploration of the renowned, electrifying and multifaceted individual. 

WXXI Classical presents Kearstin Piper Brown & Friends from BSUE• Asbury First Church

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of WXXI-FM 91.5, join us for this special performance with Kearstin Piper Brown and friends!

WXXI Classical presents a free concert as Asbury First Church, 1040 East Ave., featuring Kearstin Piper Brown, with Nyla Thomas and musicians from the Black Student Union @ Eastman (BSUE). This special performance is held just prior to Kearstin’s Metropolitan Opera debut in April in Terence Blanchard’s Fire Shut Up In My Bones.

WXXI Classical presents Kearstin Piper Brown & Friends from BSUE
Sunday, March 3 at 3 p.m.
Asbury First Church
1050 East Avenue, Rochester, NY
Free and open to the public.

A short meet and greet reception with Kearstin will immediately follow the performance.

Check out this 2020 performance with Kearstin as part of WXXI’s HomeStage music series, which WXXI produced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Razing Liberty Square On-Demand

The Liberty Square public housing community in Miami becomes ground zero for climate gentrification

Razing Liberty Square is a film by Katja Esson.  Liberty City, Miami, was home to one of the oldest segregated public housing projects in the U.S. Now with rising sea levels, the neighborhood’s higher ground has become something else: real estate gold. Wealthy property owners push inland to higher ground, creating a speculators’ market in the historically Black neighborhood previously ignored by developers and policy-makers alike. Featured on Independent Lens, the film is available on-demand through 4/28/24.

Learn More: Film Website

PBS Independent Lens: Razing Liberty Square

Resources for Young Children on Race, Racism, & Diversity

WXXI Education staff collected the following resources to support families and educators of young children as they talk, watch, read, and learn about race and racism. These resources are free and open for all to use – they have been curated from PBS, PBS KIDS, PBS LearningMedia, and other credible education organizations. (updated 1/12/24)

Please note: These resources are for educational use in conjunction with other resources and conversations to provide the most complete context for young learners. These resources are to be watched, read, and explored together with an adult. If you are utilizing these tools in an educational setting, please notify families of use as they in order to use with families’ knowledge and inclusion. If you have any questions about these tools, please contact: CRager@wxxi.org

Please note: 

  • These resources are free and open for all to use. 
  • This is not an exhaustive list of resources. 
  • These educational materials are to be used in conjunction with other resources, conversations, and instruction to provide the most complete context for students.
  • These resources are appropriate for middle and high school students, unless otherwise noted.
  • As with all educational materials, please preview these resources prior to utilizing with students to check for appropriateness.

Cultural Awareness & Diversity:

Families

Feelings and Emotions

Talking About the News & Community Violence & Scary Experiences

Same & Different

Being Inclusive and Empathetic

Each Person is Special

Resilience

Standing Up for Yourselves and Others

Race:

Racism & Anti-Racism

Black History and Culture

Resources for Adults Working with Young Children

Muhummad Ali

This four-part documentary brings to life the iconic heavyweight boxing champion who became an inspiration to people everywhere.

Muhammad Ali, a four-part documentary directed by acclaimed filmmaker Ken Burns, airs Thursdays, February 1-22, 2024 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

The film follows the life of one of the most consequential men of the 20th century, a three-time heavyweight boxing champion who captivated billions of fans with his combination of speed, agility, and power in the ring, and his charm, wit, and outspokenness outside of it. At the height of his fame, Ali challenged Americans’ racial prejudices, religious biases, and notions about what roles celebrities and athletes play in our society, and inspired people all over the world with his message of pride and self-affirmation. 

As with all Florentine Films productions, an accomplished group of historians, writers, and other topic experts provided input on the script and film, including USC professor of media studies Todd Boyd, author Howard Bryant, Washington University history professor Gerald Early, long-time Burns collaborator, and author Geoffrey C. Ward, Rutgers journalism professor Khadijah White, MIT history professor Craig Wilder, and writer David Zirin. Jonathan Eig, a biographer of Ali, was a consulting producer to the film.

Drawing from an extraordinary trove of archival footage and photographs, contemporary music, and the insights and memories of eyewitnesses—including family and friends, journalists, boxers and historians, among others—Burns, Burns and McMahon have created a sweeping portrait of an American icon. The series details the story of the athlete who called himself—and was considered by many to be—”the greatest of all time” and competed in some of the most dramatic and widely viewed sporting events ever, including “The Fight of the Century” and “The Thrilla in Manila,” both against his great rival Joe Frazier, and “The Rumble in the Jungle,” in which he defeated George Foreman to regain the heavyweight title that was stripped from him seven years earlier. Muhammad Alialso captures Ali’s principled resistance to the Vietnam War, his steadfast commitment to his Muslim faith, and his complex relationships with Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X, who profoundly shaped his life and worldview. 

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