WXXI TV

American Masters dives into the groundbreaking work of the visionary jazz musician and Godfather of Afrofuturism.

“Sun Ra: Do The Impossible” premieres Friday, February 20 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming on the WXXI app.

From swing to bebop to free jazz, Sun Ra bridged myriad musical styles to form his own avant-garde sound. With his ever-evolving collective, the Sun Ra Arkestra, he stretched the boundaries of jazz and self-produced more than 200 albums, in addition to being one of the first Black artists to have his own record label. Remembered today as the “Godfather of Afrofuturism,” Sun Ra weaved ancient Egyptian and interstellar metaphors into a definitive musical and spiritual vision that resonates across generations. Discover the extraordinary life of this poet, philosopher, and musical visionary in American Masters “Sun Ra: Do The Impossible.”

Featuring archival footage and stills, performance clips, and original interviews, “Sun Ra: Do The Impossible” is a kaleidoscopic view of the artist’s legacy, from his early days growing up in Alabama to his musical journey around the country through cities such as Chicago, New York, Berkeley, and Philadelphia as bandleader of the Sun Ra Arkestra. Interviews with notable Arkestra members, including Marshall Allen, Ahmed Abdullah, Cheryl Banks-Smith, and Michael Ray, provide profound insight into his artistry, while conversations with scholars and music experts like Fred Moten, King Britt, Harmony Holiday, Fred Moten, and Thomas Stanley highlight Sun Ra’s influence on today’s music. 

Explore the life of an R&B and soul superstar.

Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me airs Saturday, February 21 at 4 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming on the WXXI app.

This is the story of legendary singer Teddy Pendergrass, the man who would have been the biggest R&B artist of all time. It’s a story of a childhood in a Philadelphia ghetto; of the scandalous deaths of his father and first manager; of sex, drugs, money and global fame; of the triumph against injustice; and of the tragic accident that changed his life forever, at the age of only 31.

Despite poverty, racism, and violence, Pendergrass managed to become one of the first African American artists to go multi-platinum repeatedly. He was a man who actively championed the rights of Black artists when discrimination was rife, and a man who, in the years after becoming quadriplegic, overcame depression and thoughts of suicide and resumed doing what he loved best — making music. He left a priceless legacy after his death with the music he made and the people he touched.

Photo: Teddy portrait. Credit: Neal Preston

Librarians examine how library collection standards are shaping their communities.

Independent Lens “The Librarians” airs Monday, February 9 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI app.

The award-winning documentary, “The Librarians,” offers a gripping, human look at the escalating wave of book bans unfolding across the United States. The film follows a courageous network of besieged librarians as they unite to examine how book restriction policies are shaping library collections.

From Oscar-nominated Director/Producer Kim A. Snyder (“Death By Numbers,” “Newtown,” “Us Kids”) and Executive Producer Sarah Jessica
Parker through her Pretty Matches Productions banner, “The Librarians”takes viewers from Texas to Florida and beyond, where local libraries have become unexpected battlegrounds in a national struggle over parental control, intellectual freedom, and democracy itself. Sparked by the
controversial “Krause List” in Texas, which targets 850 books centered on race and LGBTQIA+ stories, the film takes a deep investigative dive into the
escalating movement against book banning. The film captures the courage and resilience of the everyday heroes, librarians, as well as concerned parents and students flanking them, who have become first responders in the fight for the freedom to read, standing defiantly against censorship
at all costs.

Filmed over 3 years, on 6 continents, and in 23 countries, this five-part series, narrated by Sir David Attenborough, tells the stories of astonishing animal behaviors shaped by the environments they inhabit.

Nature: Parenthood airs Wednesdays, February 4 through March 4 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps.

Each habitat has its own unique challenges, but as the world changes rapidly around them, some parents have to adapt to a world shaped by humans. The stakes couldn’t be higher – success for all parents ensures the future of life on our planet.

Grasslands (2/4) Animal parents must balance risk and reward to raise their young in grasslands. In Zambezi, wild dogs must focus the energy of their unruly teenagers for survival, and in India, an expecting langur learns parenting skills by babysitting.

Freshwater (2/11) Animal parents must overcome freshwater’s constant changes. A frog dad scales giant Amazonian trees with tadpoles on his back, while an elephant mom must choose between the safety of her baby and the quest for water and food.

Oceans (2/18) Ocean parents must master dedication and intelligence to raise their young. In Australia, an orca mother teaches her young how to hunt blue whales, while in Indonesia, a Banggai cardinalfish protects his young inside his mouth.

Jungles (2/25) See how jungle animal parents raise children by mastering their environment. An orangutan spends eight years teaching her baby the ways of jungle living, and a crab becomes the ultimate chemist to create the perfect home for her crablets.

The Greatest Adventure (3/4) Parenthood is the ultimate journey, full of danger. Lionesses teach their cubs how to survive by showing them how to tackle giant buffalo. Burrowing owls provide an underground nest for their chicks and mimic a rattlesnake’s sound to protect them.

A rich vein of Black history in southern Ontario.

Canfield Roots airs Sunday, February 1 at 1 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps.

This six part docu-series, airing in its entirety Sunday afternoon, explores a rich vein of Black history in a rural area in southern Ontario, Canada, leads to attempts by descendants to protect and restore an abandoned freedom seeker cemetery with a connection to Harriet Tubman.

The life and career of Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, who authored 57 books, taught as a university professor and championed human rights over his decades-long career.

American Masters “Elie Wiesel: Soul on Fire” airs Tuesday, January 27 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Learn about Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize-winning author of Night. After his internment at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp and liberation from Buchenwald, Wiesel became a journalist in France before immigrating to America. Over the course of his life, Wiesel fought the “sin of indifference” by writing, teaching, speaking truth to power and championing for human rights.