Black History

Explores the rich history of Black spirituality through sermon and song.

GOSPEL airs Saturday, December 14 at 9 a.m. on WXXI-WORLD

From executive producer, host, and writer Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., GOSPEL reunites with directors Stacey L. Holman and Shayla Harris after recently teaming up on Making Black America: Through the Grapevine.

Gates, the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, speaks with dozens of clergymen, singers and scholars about their connection to the music that has transcended its origins and now spreads “the good word” all around the world. The series features interviews with notable names including Dionne Warwick, U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, Rev. Otis Moss III, professor Michael Eric Dyson, and awe-inspiring musical performances of Gospel favorites “Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus,” “Total Praise,” and others from talents including The Belle Singers, Cory Henry, Celisse, and more. Throughout its four hours, GOSPEL gives a look at the history of Black religious music and preaching, showcasing the symbiotic relationship of words and song present in any Black church. The series examines the origin of Black gospel music, which blended the sacred spirituals with the blues tradition and soared to new heights during the Great Migration. This music served as an outlet for the anger and frustration of living as a Black person in America, which remains true today. The series also explores the evolution of preaching styles over time, and the impact of class, gender, cultural innovations, and consumer technologies shaped the development of gospel since its conception.

Photo: Tyrell Bell and the Belle Singers, featuring Ian Johnson, perform “Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus”, for GOSPEL. • Credit: McGee Media

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 12 at 2 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD

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

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.