America Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together • WXXI-TV

A star-filled tribute to America’s Semiquincentennial from revolutionary Colonial Williamsburg. Featuring live performance, historic interpretation, large-scale spectacle and fireworks. This is the place where the path to independence truly began.

America Made in Virginia: 250 Years Together airs Saturday, July 4 at 9:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps.

A star-filled tribute to America’s Semiquincentennial set in the revolutionary capitol of Colonial Williamsburg. Blending live performance, music, historic interpretation, impactful narration and large-scale visual spectacle to create an inspiring national event that connects the nation’s founding directly to the present day, the broadcast is designed as both a celebration and a unifying national moment. It offers a heartfelt and powerful reflection that honors the past, engages the present, and inspires a season of civic renewal – all from the place where the path to independence truly began. From the first melodic sounds of a violin to the thunderous pyrotechnic finale, this is a program for all Americans to see themselves reflected in our nation’s continuing story.

Photo Credit: PBS

America 250 Series • WXXI News

WXXI News presents a series of stories and talk shows/broadcasts and podcasts that look at America 250 through a complete lens.

U.S. 250th More WXXI News coverage & talk show podcasts

Connections” What is patriotism in 2026?
Evan Dawson, Megan Mack, Julie Williams, July 15, 2026In the first hour of “Connections with Evan Dawson” on 7/15/26. we discuss what it means to be a patriot now and if America is still living up to the ideals the nation was founded on 250 years ago.Listen • 51:17
Local News ESL Ballpark transforms into giant festival to celebrate America’s 250thJames Brown, July 12, 2026Monroe County marked the milestone with a free celebration in downtown Rochester.:
Local News ‘It’s hard to hate up close.’ StoryCorps wants Americans talking Beth Adams, July 6, 2026As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, NPR is launching a virtual time capsule project inspired by StoryCorps.Listen • 5:04
Local News Local descendants honor forgotten Revolutionary War figures who contributed to America’s independence Beth Adams, July 3, 2026As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, some local women whose ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War want to ensure the whole story behind America’s battle for independence is told.Listen • 4:45
ConnectionsIndigenous perspectives on the American Revolution Evan Dawson, Megan Mack, Julie Williams, July 2, 2026In the first hour of “Connections with Evan Dawson” on 7/2/26, we discuss how Indigenous groups view the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the 250 years that followed.Listen • 50:38
Local News America 250 provides an unsettling reflection on New York’s beginnings Brian Sharp, July 2, 2026“New York could not have become the Empire State without a systematic program of indigenous dispossession, and that program of dispossession was launched on turbo during the American Revolution.”Listen • 4:18
Local News Celebrate 250 with a bang: Independence Day celebrations across Greater Rochester Mikhaela Singleton, July 1, 2026America’s 250th anniversary is here, and if you’re looking for a way to celebrate it, here’s a list of local events around our region.
Local News What’s fact and fiction in the area’s most legendary tale of Revolutionary valor Brian Sharp, July 1, 2026Whatever the narrative that is told, the events surrounding the deaths of Lt. Boyd and Sgt. Parker in what is now Livingston County left a lasting scar on this region.Listen • 4:45
New York Public News Network As America celebrates its 250th birthday, a Haudenosaunee lacrosse stick maker celebrates his nation’s more than 800-year-old tradition Boone Kilpatrick, June 30, 2026A Central New York indigenous craftsman is among the rare artisans reclaiming ancient traditions through the carving of traditional lacrosse sticks.Listen • 4:00
Local News One of Mount Hope’s most interesting Revolutionary War vets is not who you think he is Brian Sharp, June 30, 2026Of the 80 or so Revolutionary War veterans buried in the historic cemetery, none has likely had their story more misconstrued than him.Listen • 4:07
New York Public News Network Restored 1813 portrait of George Washington is back where it belongs at Capitol Samuel King, June 29, 2026The portrait by artist Ezra Ames dates to1813, and had been on public display in Albany since then — until it needed a little TLC.
Local News Celebrate July 4 in historical styleJune 25, 2026The Genesee Country Village & Museum will celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary on July 4.
ConnectionsState of Monroe County; NYS legislative session wraps; America’s 250th Julie Philipp, Megan Mack, Julie Williams, June 5, 2026In the second hour of “Connections” on 6/5/26, our weekly news roundup includes stories on the state of Monroe County, a moratorium on data centers in NYS, and a festival celebrating America’s 250th.Listen • 50:13
Local News ‘Big Boy’ steam locomotive makes historic return to western NY this month Beth Adams, June 1, 2026A coast-to-coast tour of the world’s largest operating steam locomotive will pass through our region next month.Listen • 3:56
Local News Honor Flight Rochester marks 95th trip with first all-woman flight Beth Adams, May 14, 2026Honor Flight Rochester will escort 59 female veterans to memorial sites in Washington, D.C. this weekend.
Local News ESL Ballpark to host festival celebrating America’s 250th Gino Fanelli, May 6, 2026The America 250 festival will be a free event on July 12 featuring live music, food, and a fireworks display.

Connect250, a Nationwide Storytelling Project

What happens when strangers sit down and truly listen to one another?

America’s story is made up of millions of individual stories. Through Connect250, StoryCorps, NPR’s Morning Edition, and WXXI are inviting people across the country to connect across differences and share meaningful conversations in honor of America’s 250th birthday. Record a conversation with someone from another community and contribute to a historic collection that will be preserved at the Library of Congress for future generations. To learn more and pre-register, visit connect250.org. Conversations start July 7.

Learn more.

Disability Pride Month Collection • On-Demand

Take time to honor Disability Pride Month observe the landmark anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26 and consider its wider impact and implications across culture and society.

Each year we honor Disability Pride Month which offers a time to observe the landmark anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26 and consider its wider impact and implications across culture and society. Our collection is grounded in this year’s theme, “The World Works Better With Us”, which promotes self-advocacy, support, education and advocacy for rights and inclusion across public spaces for all people living and thriving with disabilities. In this six-film suite, we share compelling stories that center intimate perspectives of lived experiences where self-love and acceptance are paramount, where fears and anxieties lead to profound moments of change, where community uplifts and finds power in collective action and shows how creativity provides pathways for communication.

In All Riders, a group of disabled NYC commuters rally together in their fight for accessibility on the MTA. Co-director Sam Habib documents his transition into adulthood in The Ride Ahead as he navigates his private and public life while living with a rare genetic disorder. I Didn’t See You There provides a personal and political perspective on the legacy of the spectacle of the Freak Show and the paradoxical nature of visibility and visibility for people with disabilities. Two stories foreground the isolating experience of disability; the director and protagonist in Is There Anybody Out There? searches for others who are like her while Pedro battles mental health issues as a young, blind undocumented immigrant in the award-winning film unseen. Finally, the communicative power of creative expression lights up the screen in The Beautiful Colors of Jeremy Sicile-Kira.

WXXI is proud to be a co-presenter of this collection as part of our Move to Include^TM initiative, which promotes disability inclusion, representation, and accessibility in public media. Built on the principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us”, Move to Include spotlights the lived experience of people with disabilities and highlights important issues around disability, including education, healthcare, housing, employment, and more – through television, radio, news, education, community events, and digital media.

Click here to access the Community Network!

Once Upon A Time In Space • WXXI-TV

At the dawn of a new space race, this four-part series tells the human story of our quest to explore the cosmos.

Once Upon A Time In Space Airs Tuesdays, July 14th- July 28th at 9 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps.

Drawing on intimate, unseen archive and powerful first-hand testimony, this landmark 4-part series tells the human stories behind our quest to explore space, offering a unique perspective on our changing world and where we are headed.

Episodes:

“America First” airs July 14th. A pioneering class of astronauts is recruited by NASA to fly aboard its new Space Shuttle.

“The Russian Thing” airs July 21st. When the Soviet Union falls, Russia welcomes US astronauts to their space station Mir.

“Politics Always Wins” airs July 28th. The arrival of the International Space Station promises a new era of cooperation in space.

“Friends Forever” airs August 4th. Relationships aboard the ISS are tested when war breaks out on Earth.

Credit: Nasa

Independent Lens “Flood” • WXXI-TV

A filmmaker revisits her evangelical roots to find connection with her estranged father.

Independent Lens “Flood” airsMonday, July 13th at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps.

Returning home to California’s Inland Empire, filmmaker Katy Scoggin seeks to reconnect with her estranged father, who works as an elementary science teacher. He is the only evangelical left in the family, and as they face their differences on faith, family, and belonging, their journey becomes a portrait of empathy and resilience. Together, they find new ways to listen and bridge divides.

Credit: Spencer Worthley

Independent Lens “True North: Canadian Myths and Black Power” • WXXI-TV

How 1960s Montreal helped shape the global movement for Black liberation.

Independent Lens “True North: Canadian Myths and Black Power” airs Monday, July 6th at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps.

Through rare archival footage and firsthand accounts, True North revisits 1968 Montreal, where Black liberation movements converged at the Congress of Black Writers. As student protests ignited the Sir George Williams Affair, Black youth faced violent repression, unfolding a powerful chapter of the global Black Power era.

Credit: La Presse

Robert Duvall: Star of the Silver Screen • WXXI-TV

This documentary looks back at the remarkable career of Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall (1931-2026).

Robert Duvall: Star of the Silver Screen airs Thursday, July 9th at 8pm on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI and PBS apps.

Clips are shown from his most well-known productions, including the films The Godfather, The Great Santini, Tender Mercies, and the television miniseries Lonesome Dove.

Photo Credit: APT