July of 2024 promises two things: long, sun-filled summer days and the much-anticipated Paris Summer Olympics! To make sure our viewers are prepared for the world’s biggest sporting event, we’ve crafted the ultimate viewing guide. Get ready to dive into the most iconic moments in sports to appreciate this Olympic season even further.
#1: American Experience: The Boys of ’36 • Airing Tuesday, July 9 at 9pm on WXXI-TV
In 1936, nine working-class young men from the University of Washington took the rowing world and America by storm when they captured the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Berlin.
#2: Hitler’s Olympics • Airing Tuesday, July 9 at 10pm on WXXI-TV
The complete story of the Berlin games – the early plans, the Nazi takeover, the purge of Jews from German athletics and the grand spectacle itself.
#3: Jesse Owens: American Experience • Airing Saturday, July 20 at 4pm on WXXI-TV
The most famous athlete of his time, Jesse Owens’ grace and athleticism rallied crowds across the globe. But when the four-time Olympic gold medalist returned home, he could not even ride in the front of a bus. The story of the 22-year-old son of a sharecropper who triumphed over adversity to become the hero and world champion we know today.
#4: Gods of Tennis: Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe • Airing Tuesday, July 23 at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV
In 1975, the legendary Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe are fighting to become Wimbledon champions, while in their own ways, they are also battling social change for equality on a global level.