The American Story is a series of award-winning documentaries telling the story of America. Programs in the series are broadcast on PBS stations in the United States nationwide. Grouped by category, the programs below are all part of The American Story.
Americana
B-17: Flying Legend covers the history of the legendary World War II plane, and the stories of brave men who flew B-17s, and looks at the people today who struggle to keep these flying museums in operation today.
1964 World’s Fair is an extraordinary documentary narrated by Judd Hirsch that takes a fresh look at the sights and sounds of this once-in-a-lifetime event.
After Sunset: The Life & Times of the Drive-In Theater gives a true picture and a better understanding of what the era of the outdoor theater was all about.
Drive-In Movie Memories chronicles the drive-in’s birth and development, its phenomenal popularity with audiences of all ages, its tragic decline, and its inevitable comeback as a classic form of Americana.
Expo: Magic of the White City is narrated by Gene Wilder and brings the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair to life through a cinematic visit to Chicago’s Columbian Exposition.
The Gateway Arch: A Reflection of America chronicles the complete story of this great American symbol… From Thomas Jefferson, Lewis & Clark, and St. Louis’ role in westward expansion to the eventual construction of the largest stainless steel structure in history.
The Grange Fair: An American Tradition captures a vanishing piece of Americana – one of the last remaining agricultural encampment Grange fairs in the country.
Johnstown Flood is a story about the people who survived and people who died in one of the worst floods to ever hit North America. Through documented and illustrated first-hand accounts from survivors of the flood, the actual event is brought to life.
Pennsylvania Train Stations: Restored and Revitalized takes viewers on an unconventional journey to uncover the richness of these beautiful memorials to railroading and meet the people who saved them.
Raise the Song: The History of Penn State brings to life the people and events that have taken the Commonwealth’s land-grant university from its humble roots as the Farmers’ High School to an internationally recognized pinnacle of scientific research, sports, academic achievement, agriculture and more.
The World’s Greatest Fair offers a glimpse of the world as it was over 100 years ago, brought to life through hundreds of never-before-seen images, rare file footage from the earliest days of motion pictures, and comments from nationally recognized historians.
Biographies
Al Capone: The Untouchable Legend is a one-hour biography of one of the most notorious gangsters in history, which includes a trip on “The Untouchable Tour” in Chicago.
George Marshall and the American Century brings to life the tenacious diplomat and strategist who won battles in both the European theater and on Capital Hill, and recalls the military leader who recognized the somber legacy of war.
Westinghouse: The Life & Times of An American Icon is a feature-length documentary about the life and times of George Westinghouse, his companies, legacy, personality, partnership with Nikola Telsa, and conflict with Thomas Edison.
Civil War Stories
Civil War Life: Left for Dead tells an engaging story of the war through the eyes of one you man who, like so many others, was forever changed by it.
Civil War Life: Shot to Pieces is a remarkable story of a brave soldier who stretches the bounds of human resilience as he resolutely returns to battle despite myriad injuries and leads his troops with an untiring spirit.
Civil War Minutes: Confederate reveals little know facts and stories about major Confederate players, such as General Robert E. Lee, in the Civil War.
Civil War Minutes: Union tells what life was like from the perspective of the average foot soldier through never-before-seen photographs, artifacts and rare paintings and engravings.
Gettysburg and Stories of Valor focuses on one of the most critical periods in United States history, the Civil War. This documentary captures the scenic beauty of the Gettysburg battlefield and examines rare Civil War artifacts.
Horses of Gettysburg captures the relationship between soldiers and their horses while celebrating these forgotten heroes of the Civil War and their critical role in shaping the United States of America that we live in today.
Lincoln and Lee at Antietam: The Cost of Freedom vividly brings to life the story of America’s fight for freedom in a battle that changed the course of the Civil War.
World War I and II
Home Away From Home: The Yanks in Ireland follows World War II veterans back to their “Home Away From Home.” Secrets are revealed and old loves renewed in these moving stories.
The Last Ridge: The 10th Mountain Division is a compelling documentary recounts the true mission impossible of the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division during WWII. After backbreaking training, the legendary alpine fighting force was sent to dislodge the entrenched Germans on Italy’s mountaintops.
Proudly We Served: The Men of the USS Mason is the thrilling true story of the USS Mason (DE 529) and its crew, the only African-American sailors to take a U.S. Navy warship into battle during World War II.
Silent Wings: The American Glider Pilots of WWII reveals the critical role gliders played in World War II offensives. Thousands of lives were saved and battles won because of their efforts.
The Wereth Eleven is an ambitious docudrama based on the true story of eleven African-American soldiers who were ruthlessly murdered by the Nazi SS during the Battle of the Bulge.
Theodore Roosevelt: A Cowboy’s Ride to the White House is the exciting story of a physically challenged young man from Harvard who came to the western frontier in 1883.
USS Franklin: Honor Restored brings to life the compelling saga of USS Franklin through the eyes of the men who were there, as they share their most intimate and emotional memories of the disaster and reveal the anguish from accusations that linger still.
World War I: American Legacy vividly tells the many forgotten stories of the men and women who served in the Great War, reminding Americans of their impact on our country that can still be felt today.
