Highlights Archive

Chicago and Friends: Live at 55 • WXXI-TV

Chicago performs their greatest hits with special guests.

Chicago and Friends: Live at 55 airs Friday, August 15 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app.

Join the Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famers as they perform their greatest hits with special guests Steve Vai, Chris Daughtry, Robert Randolph, Robin Thicke, VoicePlay, Judith Hill, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and more. Filmed in Atlantic City with over 18 4k cameras, the band plays songs from their double-Platinum debut album Chicago Transit Authority, in honor of its 55th anniversary.

The American Revolution: An Inside Look • WXXI-WORLD

Enjoy a sneak peek at the upcoming six-part documentary series from Ken Burns that explores the country’s founding struggle.

PBS Previews: The American Revolution: A Film by Ken Burns airs Friday, September 19 at 9:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD and streams live on the WXXI app.

This special gives an inside look at the new series, The American Revolution, directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt. Tune in as the team uncovers how thirteen British colonies on the Atlantic Coast rose in rebellion, won their independence and established a new form of government that radically reshaped the continent and inspired centuries of democratic movements around the globe.

Watch the trailer for the six-part series that premieres November 16 on WXXI-TV.

Photo: The American Revolution key art.
Credit: PBS.

Dr. Eddie Henderson Uncommon Genius • WXXI-WORLD

A remarkable life story of the African American jazz trumpeter.

Dr. Eddie Henderson Uncommon Genius airs Thursday, September 11 at 9:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD.

This film tells the remarkable life story of renowned African American jazz trumpeter and flugelhorn player Eddie Henderson. Eddie’s curiosity and need for exploration led him down many career paths, including figure skating and medicine and music.

Dr. Eddie Henderson Uncommon Genius repeats Friday, September 12 at 10:30 a.m. on WORLD.

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SOLD OUT! Becoming Thurgood Screening & Discussion • WXXI Studios

Join WXXI for a FREE screening of this new film that explore the life and legacy of Thurgood Marshall. It will be followed by a panel discussion. The screening is currently SOLD OUT!

Watch Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect premieres on WXXI-TV and WXXI Livestream on Tuesday, September 9 at 10 p.m.

“Becoming Thurgood” Screening & Panel Discussion
Thursday, September 4. Doors open at 6 p.m. Screening starts at 6:30 p.m.
WXXI Studio A
280 State Street, Rochester, NY

Parking available next door at High Falls Garage

This event is free, but reservations are required and is currently closed.
Event details.

About the film:
With a combination of oral history, animation, and evocative sound design, this new one-hour documentary explores the life and legacy of Thurgood Marshall, the visionary lawyer and civil rights leader who became the first Black justice on the United States Supreme Court. Drawing from rare archival recordings, personal photographs, and exclusive interviews, the film traces Marshall’s journey from his birth in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1908 to his formative years at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Lincoln University and Howard University School of Law to his groundbreaking career as a lawyer championing civil rights and dismantling segregation.

Promo for Becoming Thurgood: Becoming Thurgood: America’s Social Architect premieres on WXXI-TV and WXXI Livestreams on Tuesday, September 9 at 10 p.m.

A discussion will follow the screening of the film, moderated by Kearstin Piper Brown, American Soprano and WXXI Classical Host in addition to graduating from Spelman, an HBCU higher education institution and Northwestern University.

Panelists:

Dr. Shaun Nelms, vice president of community partnerships at the University of Rochester. He previously served as the superintendent as the Educational Partnership Organization (EPO) superintendent for East, to create a school reform model that can be replicated in urban settings throughout the U.S. Since 2018 he has served as the Professor (Clinical), William & Sheila Konar Director of the Center for Urban Education Success at the Warner School. In this role, Nelms leads the center’s efforts to support the success of K-12 urban schools both locally and nationally through a combination of research, relationship building, and a commitment to pursue and share best practices.

The Honorable Melissa L. Barrett, Supervising Judge of the Rochester City Trial Courts, most recently elected for a term of 2020-2029. Barrett earned a B.A. from the SUNY Albany in 1991. She then completed a J.D. at SUNY at Buffalo Law School in 1995. More info:

Her memberships have included the Rochester Black Bar Association. she has also served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Town Perinton, and she has been involved in the Genesee Street Business Corridor, the Deaconess Ministry at the Aenon Missionary Baptist Church, the United Way of Rochester African American Leadership Development Program and the Rochester Chapter of The Links, Inc.

Spencer Ash, ESQ, Senior Counsel at the Law Offices of Pullano & Farrow Spencer is an experienced litigation and transactional attorney with vast public and private sector experience. Spencer practices law in New York State Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and is a member of the Supreme Court of the United States. He has worked as counsel for several Fortune 100 companies and currently represents the City of Rochester, New York. Spencer is a Rochester native, a graduate of Pittsford Mendon High School, S.U.N.Y at Buffalo and Touro Law Center. He specializes in state, federal and appellate litigation, as well as contract law.

Spencer is also a passionate community advocate who has served on the Foundation Board of the Monroe County Bar Association, participated in Lawyers For Learning as both a mentor and a Vice-Chair, was President of the Rochester Black Bar Association in 2013 and has contributed to periodicals such as the Daily Record and Our Voice Magazine. He has been named an Emerging Bar Leader, an Emerging African American Leader, received the Excellence in Leadership Award from the Rochester Black Bar Association, is a graduate of Leadership Rochester, and a recipient of Dale Carnegie’s Outstanding Performance Award.

Photo: Thurgood Marshall leaves Federal Court in Birmingham, Alabama, on February 29, 1956.
Credit: Library of Congress

National Partners:

BECOMING THURGOOD: AMERICA’S SOCIAL ARCHITECT is a production of Maryland Public Television, made possible with an appropriation from the State of Maryland for The Center for Maryland History Films. Funding for the film is also provided by Morgan State University, Theralogix, Sage Policy Group, and Allan and Shelley Holt (through the Hillside Foundation).

Local Community Partners:

Opportunity, Access & Uplift: The Evolving Legacy of HBCUs • WXXI-TV

Focusing on the changes, misconceptions, and current state of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), this half-hour documentary offers insight through the personal stories of students and insights from experts.

Opportunity, Access & Uplift: The Evolving Legacy of HBCUs airs Thursday, September 11 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app.

Hosted by HBCU graduate Brandis Griffith-Friedman, the program follows five students from two HBCUs located on opposite sides of the country — as well as a family of a high school senior in Chicago who is debating his future — through their day, sharing their experiences and stories. It also explores the changing face of enrollment and funding at HBCUs with contributions from experts Dr. Michael Lomax, CEO of UNCF, and Felecia Commodore, associate professor of higher education at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Opportunity, Access & Uplift: The Evolving Legacy of HBCUs repeats Tuesday, September 10 at 4:30 a.m. on WXXI-TV and Sunday, September 14 at 10:30 a.m. on WXXI-WORLD

Photo: Opportunity, Access & Uplift: The Evolving Legacy of HBCUs key art.
Credit: American Public Television.

More HBCU Week Programming

The Historic HBCU Photograph • WXXI-TV

The Historic HBCU Photograph captures the remarkable event of alumni from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) gathered for a momentous photograph, and explores the important role the nation’s HBCUs have served in advancing social justice and equality for African Americans in the face of systemic racism.

The Historic HBCU Photograph airs Thursday, September 11 at 10:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app.

Inspired by the iconic 1958 photograph “A Great Day in Harlem,” alumni from the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) gathered for a momentous event on the steps of Morningside Park in Harlem to recreate a powerful moment symbolizing unity, resilience, and the enduring spirit of a community born out of the historic denial of education to African Americans in the United States. Through personal recollections and insights of the alumni participating in the event, this documentary commemorates this moment in history and celebrates the resilience and solidarity of the HBCU community.

The Historic HBCU Photograph repeats Friday, September 12 at 4:30 p.m. on WXXI-WORLD, and Sunday, September 14 at 3:30 p.m., Sunday, September 28 at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 30 at 2:30 a.m. on WXXI-TV.

Photo: HBCU alumni gathered together for a photo.
Credit: American Public Television.

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Black College Football Hall of Fame: Journey to Canton • WXXI-TV

Often used to refer to an NFL player who will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the term “Headed to Canton” has expanded to include collegiate football more than 50 years later.

Black College Football Hall of Fame: Journey to Canton airs Saturday, September 13 at 5:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app.

In 2019, the Black College Football Hall of Fame was officially welcomed to the campus of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, celebrating the historically Black college and university brand of football. This documentary tells the story of the formation of Black college football, the contributions that players from historically Black colleges and universities have made to the NFL, the founding of its Hall of Fame, and why the Hall is in the unexpected location of Canton.

Photo: The Black College Football Hall of Fame photographed.
Provided by NETA

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The Golden Year: Howard Women’s Basketball • WXXI-TV

This documentary charts the inception of the first Women’s Basketball team in 1974, the triumph and challenges they faced, and how it continues to raise the bar, embodying the spirit of resilience, determination and pride.

The Golden Year: Howard Women’s Basketball airs Saturday, September 13 at 5 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streams live on the WXXI app.

In 1974 Howard University formed its first Women’s Basketball team, creating new opportunities for women in sports and building a winning program committed to excellence that extends beyond the court. 50 years later, players and coaches reflect on their legacy and the overall growth of women’s sports while highlighting the continued struggle for equity in athletics.

Photo: The Golden Year: Howard Women’s Basketball key art.
Provided by NETA

More HBCU Week Programming