American Experience: Surviving the Dust Bowl

Description

From PBS:

In 1931 the rains stopped and the "black blizzards" began. Less well-known than those who sought refuge in California, typified by the Joad family in John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, the Dust Bowlers stayed and overcame almost a decade of unbelievable calamities and disasters, enduring drought, dust, disease—even death—determined to preserve their way of life.

This American Experience documentary looks at the lives of those who fought through the Dust Bowl years.

American Experience: Seabiscuit

Description

From PBS:

Despite his boxy build, stumpy legs, scraggly tail, and ungainly gait, Seabiscuit was one of the most remarkable thoroughbred racehorses in history. His fabulously wealthy owner Charles Howard, his famously silent and stubborn trainer Tom Smith, and the two hard-bitten, gifted jockeys who rode him to glory turned Seabiscuit into a national hero.

This American Experience looks at the success of the 1930s racehorse Seabiscuit, and at Depression-era society.

American Experience: The Kennedys

Description

From PBS:

The legendary Kennedys seemed to have it all—money, power, charm, ambition. From Joe Kennedy's rise on Wall Street to the collapse of his last son's presidential hopes in 1980, the compelling tale of the Kennedy dynasty still fascinates Americans. American Experience presents the first comprehensive look at one man's elusive dream for his family and his nation, beginning in triumph and ending in tragedy.

American Experience: Victory in the Pacific

Description

From PBS:

In this provocative, thorough examination of the final months of the war, American Experience looks at the escalation of bloodletting from the vantage points of both the Japanese and the Americans. Despite warnings that his country, brought to its knees by the conflict, might erupt in a Communist revolution, Emperor Hirohito believed that one last decisive battle could reverse Japan's fortunes. From the U.S. capture of the Mariana Islands through the firebombing of Tokyo and the dropping of the atomic bomb, Victory in the Pacific chronicles the dreadful and unprecedented loss of life and the decisions made by leaders on both sides that finally ended the war.

Steinway: The Piano Man

Description

From the Bowery Boys website:

"Henry Steinway, a German immigrant who came to New York in 1850, made his name in various showrooms and factories in downtown Manhattan, enticing the wealthy with his award-winning quality pianos. At their grand Steinway Hall on 14th Street, the family turned a popular concert venue into a clever marketing opportunity. But their ultimate fate would lie outside of Manhattan; the Steinways would graduate from an innovative factory on Park Avenue to their very own company village in Queens, the basis of a neighborhood which still bears their name today. You may not know much about pianos, but you've cross path with this family's influence in the city. Tune in for this short history of Henry Steinway and his sons."

Say Cheese!

Description

From the Kansas Museum of History website:

"A century ago, photography was much more difficult than point-and-shoot. In this podcast we hear about the challenges faced by a pioneering woman photographer. Alice Gardiner Sennrich documented her town—Valley Falls, Kansas—through the lens of a massive camera."