Highlights Archive

Italy Made with Love • WXXI-TV

Travel the world and meet artisans who pour passion and skill into everything they make.

Italy Made with Love airs Saturday, March 9 at 3:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Explore the passion and pride of Italian artisans, from hat makers in Tuscany to truffle hunters in Umbrian forests to pasta chefs in Bologna. Stewards of Italian traditions, they proudly pass down their finely honed skills from one generation to the next. The program offers an up-close and personal look at the impact these families have had throughout Italy, past and present.

Photo: Potter Credit: PBS

Nature: American Horses • WXXI-TV

Mustang. Appaloosa. Morgan. Quarter Horse. American horses are icons.

Nature: American Horses airs Wednesday, February 28 at 8 p .m. on WXXI-TV.

Follow the history of the uniquely American horse breeds that helped shape our nation and meet the people who are continuing in the long tradition of caring for them.

Photo: Equus ferus Credit: Nature/PBS

Two Wars l The Road to Integration • WXXI-TV

Segregation and the eventual integration of the United States Military.

Two Wars l The Road to Integration airs Tuesday, February 27 at 10:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV.

Two Wars | The Road to Integration tackles the topic of segregation and eventual integration of the United States Military. Since the earliest days of the Republic, African Americans have been part of the nation’s fighting force. African American service members in the United States Military fought to defend the very freedoms they could not enjoy as citizens.

Photo: WWII soldiers • Credit: American Public Television

America: The Land We Live In • WXXI-TV

Rediscovers America’s national wonders on a modern-day quest to unveil mysteries, uncover age-old legends, and reignite the rich history of exploration and conservation in the United States — all through the lens of a 19th-century book.

America: The Land We Live In airs Monday, February 26 at 8 p .m. on WXXI-TV.

One-hundred fifty years ago, a group of daring writers and artists set out across the country on an adventure to discover the “picturesque.” Their goal: to return with epic stories and drawings of their discoveries and inspire people to set out on their own to explore the beauty and wonder of the land and cities. Picturesque America, a gold-leafed, leather-bound compendium of their intrepid tales and intricate engravings, became the very first travel guide of America.

America: The Land We Live In takes you on a present-day treasure hunt to retrace the steps of those early explorers. Co-hosts Scott “Doc” Varn and Sophia Michelen— with the help of locals and experts — follow clues hidden in the original text and artwork of Picturesque America to uncover the “then and now” of these locations while exploring the culture, history, and beauty in each place.

Photo: Doc Varn and Sophia Michelen • Credit: Courtesy of World Life Productions

Recognize these illustrations?

These illustrations of Rochester were pulled from Picturesque America – a 19th century travel guide that celebrated the history, culture, and beauty of America. The program takes you on a treasure hunt across the country to rediscover locations from 150 years ago. Clues to find these sites are hidden in the engravings and tales of the guide book. How have the locations in the illustrations below changed in 150 years? The producers would love to know. Snap a photo, share it on Facebook and tag @americathelandwelivein and @wxxirochester, or use the hashtag #AmericaTheLandWeLiveIn.

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A Conversation with NAACP Image Award Recipient, Nikki Giovanni • On-Demand Facebook Live Event

Legendary Poet, Nikki Giovanni, Reflects on Her Literary Works that Inspire and Transcend the Imagination.

Watch PBS Books Event with Nikki Giovanni from Wednesday, April 3 at 8pm The event is archived here.

As part of its Wright Conversations series, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History presents Nikki Giovanni, one of this country’s most widely read poets and one of America’s most renowned poets worldwide. Her poem, “Knoxville, Tennessee,” is arguably the single literary work most often associated with that city. Giovanni has received numerous awards in the course of her career, including seven Image Awards from the N.A.A.C.P., more than two-dozen honorary degrees, the first Rosa Parks Woman of Courage Award, the Langston Hughes Medal for Poetry, and the Carl Sandburg Literary Award; additionally, Oprah Winfrey recognized her in 2005 as one of twenty-five “Living Legends.” She continues to teach, write, and publish books. Her most recent collection, “Make Me Rain,” was released in October of 2020.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Poet Nikki Giovanni was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, on June 7, 1943. Although she grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, she and her sister returned to Knoxville each summer to visit their grandparents. Nikki graduated with honors in history from her grandfather’s alma mater, Fisk University. Since 1987, she has been on the faculty at Virginia Tech, where she is an Emerita Professor in the Department of English. She has been nominated for a Grammy and a finalist for the National Book Award. She has authored three New York Times and Los Angeles Times best-sellers, highly unusual for a poet. For more information in the words of the poet herself, visit here.

Create Showcase: Table for All • WXXI-CREATE

Grab a seat at the table with Buki Elegbede and discover the fascinating stories behind the dishes and traditions of the globe-spanning cuisine that can be enjoyed in the Garden State.

Create Showcase: Table for All airs Saturday, February 24 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday, February 25 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on WXXI-Create.

Buki Elegbede, Create Cooking Challenge 2017 Grand Prize winner and host of Baked by Buki, is back with Table for All, a cinematic docuseries focusing on culture, diversity & inclusion through the lens of food — all in his home state of New Jersey. He brings viewers along for the journey as he visits local restaurants and home kitchens to try new cuisines, meet the diverse people preparing these dishes, and hear the fascinating stories behind some of the region’s favorite eats and recipes.

Photo provided by CREATE.

Supercharge Your Brain: Maximizing Your Cognitive Abilities • WXXI-TV

Join neuroscientist and bestselling author Dr. Lisa Genova to discover ways to enhance brain health for the rest of your life.

Supercharge Your Brain: Maximizing Your Cognitive Abilities airs Sunday, February 25 at 1 p .m. on WXXI-TV.

Packed with actionable, science-backed steps, the program is a roadmap for improving brain health through lifelong learning.

American Masters: Groucho & Cavett • WXXI-TV

Discover the enduring friendship between television personality Dick Cavett and his mentor iconic comedian Groucho Marx.

American Masters: Groucho & Cavett airs Sunday, January 5 at 1 p .m. on WXXI-TV.

Groucho & Cavett explores the enduring friendship between Emmy Award-winning television personality Dick Cavett and iconic comedian Groucho Marx.Cavett, a writer for Jack Parr on The Tonight Show, met Marx at the funeral of playwright George S. Kaufman in 1961. When Cavett made the transition from writer to comedian in 1965, he was encouraged and mentored by Marx. In 1968, Cavett became the host of his own talk show and Marx became a frequent guest capturing what Cavett calls, “the last of Groucho’s greatness.” Groucho & Cavett chronicles the pair’s relationship through new interviews with Cavett, footage from Marx’s visits to The Dick Cavett Show and other rare recordings.

Photo: Groucho Marx and Dick Cavett • Credit: PBS