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Explores the journey of the thirteen American colonies as they unite in rebellion, win an eight-year war to secure their independence, and establish a new form of government that would inspire democratic movements at home and around the globe.
The American Revolution airs Fridays at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV.
What begins as a political clash between colonists and the British government grows into a bloody struggle that will engage more than two dozen nations and forever change the world.
The American Revolution brings an expansive look at the virtues and contradictions of the war and the birth of the United States of America, the film series follows dozens of figures from a wide variety of backgrounds. Through their individual stories, viewers experience the war through the memories of the men and women who experienced it: the rank-and-file Continental soldiers and American militiamen (some of them teenagers), Patriot political and military leaders, British Army officers, American Loyalists, Native soldiers and civilians, enslaved and free African Americans, German soldiers in the British service, French and Spanish allies, and various civilians living in North America, Loyalist as well as Patriot, including many made refugees by the war.
The Revolution began a movement for people around the world to imagine new and better futures for themselves, their nations, and for humanity. It declared American independence with promises that we continue to strive for. The American Revolution opened the door to advance civil liberties and human rights, and it asked questions that we are still trying to answer today.
Episodes
Episode 1: In Order To Be Free (Jan. 9): The American Revolution In Order to Be Free Opposition in colonial North America to British policies over taxes, land, and sovereignty escalates into violent confrontation. Fighting in Massachusetts.
Episode 2: An Asylum For Mankind (Jan. 16): As New Englanders work to force the British Army from Boston, Congress puts George Washington in command of a new Continental Army. In July 1776, Congress declares American independence, insisting on the people’s right to resist tyranny..
Episode 3: The Times That Try Men’s Souls (Jan. 23): British General Howe soundly defeats General Washington at Long Island and in Manhattan, forcing the Americans to abandon New York City. After fleeing across New Jersey, Washington’s army regroups before attacking an outpost at Trenton.
Episode 4: Conquer by a Drawn Game (Jan. 30): After beating General Washington in battle, General Howe takes Philadelphia, forcing Congress to flee the city. But the Americans’ surprising victory over General Burgoyne at Saratoga encourages France to openly support the United States.
Episode 5: The Soul of All America (Feb. 6 ):After Valley Forge and Monmouth, the French American alliance changes the war and moves it to other theaters. Navies battle off England and in the Caribbean, while armies advance in Indian Country and the South. The British take Charleston.
Episode 6: The Most Sacred Thing (Feb. 13): British General Cornwallis struggles to pacify the southern states. Supported by the French, Washington wins the decisive victory at Yorktown. With independence secured, Americans aspire for a more perfect union
Our Sponsors
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Corporate funding for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was provided by Bank of America. Major funding was provided by The Better Angels Society and its members Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine with the Crimson Lion Foundation; and the Blavatnik Family Foundation. Major funding was also provided by David M. Rubenstein; The Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Family Foundation; Lilly Endowment Inc.; and the following Better Angels Society members: Eric and Wendy Schmidt; Stephen A. Schwarzman; and Kenneth C. Griffin with Griffin Catalyst. Additional support for THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was provided by: The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Gilbert S. Omenn and Martha A. Darling; Park Foundation; and the following Better Angels Society members: Gilchrist and Amy Berg; Perry and Donna Golkin; The Michelson Foundation; Jacqueline B. Mars; Kissick Family Foundation; Diane and Hal Brierley; John H. N. Fisher and Jennifer Caldwell; John and Catherine Debs; The Fullerton Family Charitable Fund; Philip I. Kent; Gail Elden; Deborah and Jon Dawson; David and Susan Kreisman; The McCloskey Family Charitable Trust; Becky and Jim Morgan; Carol and Ned Spieker; Mark A. Tracy; and Paul and Shelley Whyte. THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION was made possible, in part, with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Join WXXI for a special FREE 1-hour preview screening of The Inquisitor, produced by filmmakers: Angela Lynn Tucker, Trevite Willis and Moira Griffin. The preview screening will be followed by a moderated panel discussion. Registration is required.
About the Film: Explore the life and legacy of Barbara Jordan in The Inquisitor. Jordan was a groundbreaking Texas congresswoman whose sharp intellect and moral clarity transformed U.S. politics. From Nixon’s impeachment to civil rights battles, her voice demanded accountability, while she privately faced struggles few ever knew of.
Indie Lens Pop-Up presents this free preview screening:
On Monday, February 16, 2026 at 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Doors Open at 6 PM)
At The Little Theatre, Theatre 1
240 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604
The Film Preview will be followed by panel discussion moderated by Racquel Stephen, Racquel Stephen is WXXI’s health, equity and community reporter and producer. She joined the WXXI newsroom in 2021.
Panel TBD soon
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ITVS & Indie Lens Pop-Up.
Indie Lens Pop-Up is a WXXI media project that brings people together for film screenings and community-driven conversations. Indie Lens Pop-Up features documentaries from the PBS hit series Independent Lens to draw the community together to share ideas and make connections that shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us and consider local impact of issues raised in the films.
A film that exploes the conflict between the civil rights leader and J. Edgar Hoover.
Marked Man: Martin Luther King and The FBI airing Monday, January 19 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps.
For years before Martin Luther King Jr.’s death, he was subjected to a campaign of intimidation by J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI. Hoover believed King was a puppet of the Communists, intent on destroying America, and he was determined to neutralize the threat. Marked Man: Martin Luther King and The FBI reveals the depth of Hoover’s vendetta against King and examines how and why he targeted the civil rights leader.
King was a visionary — a leader who had a dream of an America where the Black community could attain equal rights, freedom, and justice. A gifted orator, his life’s work was to achieve this goal through peaceful protest and the persuasive power of his words. In contrast, Hoover was a lifelong bureaucrat, fiercely resistant to change and intent on preserving America’s status quo. With unchecked power and unrivaled influence, Hoover headed his organization through intimidation and surveillance.
Unfortunately, Hoover used this power to relentlessly pursue King, tracking his every move and even sending him threatening letters that encouraged King to take his own life. In revealing the extent of this campaign, the documentary sheds light on the toll these actions took on King and the larger implications for American society.
Photo: Leaders at a March on Washington, August 28, 1963/ Credit: Robert W. Kelley, Getty Images
A nuanced portrait of the woman known as the conductor of the Underground Railroad, who risked her own freedom and life to liberate others from slavery.
Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom airs Monday, February 2 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps.
Go beyond the legend and meet the inspiring woman who repeatedly risked her own life and freedom to liberate others from slavery. Born 200 years ago in Maryland, Harriet Tubman was a conductor of the Underground Railroad, a Civil War scout, nurse and spy, and one of the greatest freedom fighters in our nation’s history.
This new weekly series hosted by Nick Schifrin offers in-depth analysis on subjects like America’s global influence and rising international tensions, airing Sundays and streaming online.
Compass Points from PBS News airs Sundays at 6 p.m., beginning January 18 on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps.
Compass Points from PBS News takes an all-encompassing look at a prominent international topic each week and provides timely analysis with a panel of experts including former government officials and journalists on issues such as America’s power and influence abroad, the shifting world order under the Trump Administration, and what global conflicts and rising tensions could mean for America’s interests. Hosted by Peabody and duPont-Columbia award-winning journalist and PBS News Hour foreign affairs and defense correspondent Nick Schifrin, Compass Points is executive produced by Stephanie Kotuby, who also serves as executive producer of Washington Week with The Atlantic and senior editorial producer for PBS News Hour.
Please note: This program replaces PBS NewsHour Weekend. PBS cancelled the show due to the loss of federal funding for public media.
This new weekly science, health, and tech show hosted by William Brangham explores in-depth topics like AI and climate change, aiming to provide deeper dives into complex issues with experts.
Horizons from PBS News airs Saturdays at 6 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps.
Horizons from PBS News will feature experts and professionals in the world of science, health, technology and the environment and will dive into a single issue each week such as the Artificial Intelligence race, advances in medicine, and the latest developments in climate science. Horizons will be hosted by Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist and PBS News Hour correspondent William Brangham and will be executive produced by Talesha Reynolds, who also serves as senior producer of content and special projects for PBS News Hour.
Please note: This program replaces PBS NewsHour Weekend. PBS cancelled the show due to the loss of federal funding for public media.
A new four-part docuseries that explores the complex relationship between Black Americans and Jewish Americans – forged in shared struggle, tested by division, and representing a uniquely American experience.
Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History airs Tuesdays, February 3-24 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming on the WXXI app.
lack and Jewish Americans began on fundamentally different footing, but by the early 20th century, they were drawn together by entrenched racism and rising antisemitism. These shared experiences led to productive civic partnerships and sparked creative bonds that led to collaborations in music and film that would profoundly shape American popular culture. The relationship between these communities deepened after World War II, when the atrocities of the Holocaust came to light, reinforcing a sense of common struggle as both communities grappled with the devastating consequences of hatred and intolerance. The civil rights era is often described as the “golden age” of the alliance, when Jewish Americans worked closely with Black leaders and organizers to dismantle Jim Crow segregation.
While shared ideals of justice united Black and Jewish people, they were also divided by the realities of race in America. The historic alliance suffered as each group turned inward, prioritizing its own struggles and agendas in an increasingly fragmented social and political landscape. Still, the hope and promise of cross-cultural solidarity endures to this day, amid constant reminders of the persistent threat of violence and injustice in the world. Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History offers a lesson in fulfilling that promise while confronting the challenges of maintaining unity against divisiveness.