Program Highlights

Michiana's Public Television. Television worthy of your trust

WNIT Local Productions

DINNER AND A BOOK airs on Saturdays at 10:30am with repeats on Mondays at 5:30pm
OUTDOOR ELEMENTS airs on Sundays at 9:00am with repeats on Wednesdays at 5:30pm
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK airs on Fridays at 8:30pm with repeats on Sundays at 12:30pm
ASK AN EXPERT airs Thursdays at 8:00pm
POLITICALLY SPEAKING airs Sundays at 2:00pm

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FEBRUARY 2010 LISTINGS

THE DONNER PARTY: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

Monday, February 1, 9pm

This program chronicles the harrowing tale of the ill-fated emigrant group who set out for the promised land of California in the spring of 1846, only to meet with disaster in the snows of the Sierra Nevada mountains the following winter.

BEFORE THERE WERE PARKS: YELLOWSTONE AND GLACIER THROUGH NATIVE EYES

Monday, February 1, 10:30pm

For more than 12,000 years, the intermountain West's native peoples have called the lands known as Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks "home." This program explores modern indigenous perspectives on these great wilderness areas and explores both the cultural divide that separates modern times from the not-so-distant past and recent efforts by the National Park Service and native peoples to bring these disparate visions into greater harmony.

NOVA

Tuesdays, 8pm

PBS' premier science series helps viewers of all ages explore the science behind the headlines. Along the way, NOVA programs demystify science and technology and highlight the people involved in scientific pursuits.

"Ghosts of Machu Picchu"

February 2

Perched atop a mountain crest, mysteriously abandoned more than four centuries ago, Machu Picchu is the most famous archeological ruin in the Western hemisphere and an iconic symbol of the power and engineering prowess of the Inca. In the years since Machu Picchu was discovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911, there have been countless theories about this "Lost City of the Incas," yet it remains an enigma. Why did the Incas build it on such an inaccessible site, clinging to the steep face of a mountain? Who lived among its stone buildings, farmed its emerald green terraces and drank from its sophisticated aqueduct system? NOVA joins a new generation of archeologists as they probe areas of Machu Picchu that haven't been touched since the time of the Incas and unearth burials of the people who built the sacred site. The program explores the extraordinary trail of clues that began on that fateful day in 1911 and continues to the present.

"Extreme Cave Diving"

February 9

This program follows the charismatic Dr. Kenny Broad as he dives into blue holes - underwater caves that formed during the last ice age when sea level was nearly 400 feet below what it is today. They are Earth's least explored and perhaps most dangerous frontiers. With an interdisciplinary team of climatologists, paleontologists and anthropologists, Broad investigates the hidden history of Earth's climate as revealed by finds in this spectacularly beautiful "alternate universe."

"Extreme Ice"

February 16

As the world warms, the threat from rising sea levels poses an alarming potential for disaster. Some models now project a one-meter sea level rise over the next century, which could displace millions of people, from Florida to Bangladesh, and require trillions of dollars' investment in coastal infrastructure. But these models don't reflect recent findings that glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica are melting at an ever faster rate. What explains this alarming acceleration, and just how can we figure out what's happening inside a gigantic wall of ice? In collaboration with National Geographic, NOVA follows the exploits of acclaimed photojournalist James Balog and a scientific team as they deploy time-lapse cameras in risky, remote locations in the Arctic, Alaska and the Alps. Their goal is to create a unique photo archive of melting glaciers that could provide a key to understanding their runaway behavior. They're grappling with blizzards, fickle technology and perilous climbs up craggy precipices to anchor cameras that must withstand sub-zero temperatures and winds up to 170 mph. In this high-action adventure, NOVA investigates the mystery of the mighty ice sheets that will affect the fate of coastlines around the world.

"Megabeasts' Sudden Death"

February 23

In May 2008, a scientific team made worldwide headlines by announcing evidence of a previously unsuspected impact from space that had devastated prehistoric North America at the end of the last Ice Age. According to this controversial new claim, the extinction of more than 34 types of large prehistoric animals (or "megafauna") was caused not by climate change or the arrival of the first human hunters, but by the massive breakup of a comet over the Great Lakes region. NOVA explores this provocative new theory about what killed off America's mammoths and may have come close to extinguishing early human populations as well.

FRONTLINE

Tuesdays, 9pm

As PBS' premier public affairs series, FRONTLINE's stature is reaffirmed each week through incisive documentaries covering the scope and complexity of the human, social and political experience.

"Digital Nation"

February 2

Within a single generation, the Web and digital media have remade nearly every aspect of modern culture, transforming work, learning and social interact in ways that we are only beginning to understand. FRONTLINE producer Rachel Dretzin ("Growing Up Online") teams up with one of the leading thinkers of the digital age, Douglas Rushkoff ("The Persuaders," "Merchants of Cool"), to continue her exploration of life on the virtual frontier by focusing her lens on what it means to be human in an entirely new world - a digital world.

"Flying Cheap"

February 9

One year after the deadliest domestic airline accident in seven years, FRONTLINE investigates the crash of Continental 3407 in Buffalo, NY, and discovers a dramatically changed airline industry, where regional carriers now account for half of the nation's daily departures. The rise of the regionals and arrival of low-cost carriers have been a huge boon to consumers, and the industry insists that the skies remain safe. But many insiders are worried that now, 30 years after airline deregulation, the aviation system is being stretched beyond its capacity to deliver service that is both cheap and safe.

THE NATIONAL PARKS: AMERICA'S BEST IDEA

Wednesdays, 9pm

This 12-hour, six-part documentary series by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan tells the story of an idea as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence and just as radical: that the most special places in the nation should be preserved, not for royalty or the rich, but for everyone. From Acadia to Yosemite, Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, the Everglades of Florida to the Gates of the Arctic in Alaska, the series explores the stories of people, from every conceivable background, who were willing to devote themselves to saving some precious portion of the land they loved, and in doing so, reminded their fellow citizens of the full meaning of democracy.

"The Last Refuge" (1890-1915)

February 3

By the end of the 19th century, widespread industrialization has left many Americans worried about whether the country - once a vast wilderness - will have any pristine land left. At the same time, poachers in the parks are rampant, and visitors think nothing of littering or carving their names near iconic sites like Old Faithful. Congress has yet to establish clear judicial authority or appropriations for the protection of the parks. This sparks a conservation movement by organizations such as the Sierra Club, led by John Muir; the Audubon Society, led by George Bird Grinnell; and the Boone and Crockett Club, led by Theodore Roosevelt. The movement fails, however, to stop San Francisco from building the Hetch Hetchy dam at Yosemite, flooding Muir's "mountain temple" and leaving him broken-hearted before he dies.

"The Empire of Grandeur" (1915-1919)

February 10

In the early 20th century, America has a dozen national parks, but they are a haphazard patchwork of special places under the supervision of different federal agencies. The conservation movement, after failing to stop the Hetch Hetchy dam, pushes the government to establish one unified agency to oversee all the parks, leading to the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916. Its first director, Stephen Mather, a wealthy businessman and passionate park advocate who fought vigorously to establish the NPS, launches an energetic campaign to expand the national park system and bring more visitors to the parks. Among his efforts is to protect the Grand Canyon from encroaching commercial interests and establish it as a national park, rather than a national monument.

"Going Home" (1920-1933)

February 17

While visiting the parks was once predominantly the domain of Americans wealthy enough to afford the high-priced train tours, the advent of the automobile allows more people than ever before to visit the parks. Mather embraces this opportunity and works to build more roads in the parks. Some park enthusiasts, such as Margaret and Edward Gehrke of Nebraska, begin "collecting" parks, making a point to visit as many as they can. In North Carolina, Horace Kephart, a reclusive writer, and George Masa, a Japanese immigrant, launch a campaign to protect the last strands of virgin forest in the Smoky Mountains by establishing it as a park. In Wyoming, John D. Rockefeller Jr. begins quietly buying up land in the Teton Mountain Range and valley in a secret plan to donate it to the government as a park.

"Great Nature" (1933-1945)

February 24

To battle unemployment in the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt creates the Civilian Conservation Corps, which spawns a "golden age" for the parks through major renovation projects. In a groundbreaking study, a young NPS biologist named George Melendez Wright discovers widespread abuses of animal habitats and pushes the service to reform its wildlife policies. Congress narrowly passes a bill to protect the Everglades in Florida as a national park - the first time a park has been created solely to preserve an ecosystem, as opposed to scenic beauty. As America becomes entrenched in World War II, Roosevelt is pressured to open the parks to mining, grazing and lumbering. The president also is subjected to a storm of criticism for expanding the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming by accepting a gift of land secretly purchased by John D. Rockefeller Jr.

SOUNDSTAGE (HD only)

Thursdays, 10pm

SOUNDSTAGE returns for another season with a roster of show-stopping performers, including Tim McGraw in the premiere program. The Fray, 3 Girls and Their Buddy, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Faith Hill and Willie Nelson also make an appearance.

"3 Girls and Their Buddy"

February 4

This episode of SOUNDSTAGE highlights Americana music at its absolute best. "3 Girls and Their Buddy" - Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin and Buddy Miller - present a versatile in-the-round set. The group's stage banter and genial rapport clearly transmit their passion for performing together on songs like "Trouble," "Gasoline and Matches," "Strong Hand (for June)" and "Mary." All legends in their own right, collectively they deliver an unbeatable and spellbinding night.

"Seal"

February 11

Seal's one-of-a-kind husky baritone is perfect for any genre. He's delighted fans and earned critical acclaim while staying true to classic, honest songwriting in his two-decade career. Now, he's done it again with the release of his exceptional sixth studio album, Soul. Together with legendary music producer David Foster, Seal adds his signature touch to some of the best soul songs ever created. In his stunning SOUNDSTAGE performance, Seal evokes an era when music vividly captured emotion and romance. Joined by Foster, as well as a choir and string section, Seal takes on Ann Peebles' "I Can't Stand the Rain," Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes' "If You Don't Know Me By Now."

"Lynyrd Skynyrd"

February 18

With a backbone of Southern rock and country, passionate VanZant vocals and trademark layered guitars, Lynyrd Skynyrd delivers sensational renditions of the iconic classics "Sweet Home Alabama," "Gimme Three Steps," "That Smell" and "Simple Man." This episode is littered with hits, rousing guitar solos and songs from the new album, God & Guns. An epic "Freebird" finale does justice to the 35-year legacy of this all-star rock 'n' roll group.

"Willie Nelson"

February 25

Over the last 50 years, the legendary Willie Nelson has continued to be an enduring and compelling presence in music. The troubadour mixes elements of folk, blues, classic country, western swing and a little gospel during his versatile SOUNDSTAGE set. Displaying a close connection with the audience, Nelson and his eight-piece band (featuring a banjo, mandolin, fiddle, steel guitar and more) gather round the stage to highlight songs from Nelson's first-ever bluegrass album, produced in collaboration with T-Bone Burnett. Tipping his hat to the genre, Nelson puts his stamp on standards like Bob Wills' "Trouble in Mind," Al Dexter's "Pistol Packin' Mamma" and the Joe "Red" Hayes and Jack Rhodes classic "Satisfied Mind." Other selections include "Whiskey River," "Drinking Champagne" and "Dark as a Dungeon."

PRINCE AMONG SLAVES (HD only)

Friday, February 5, 10pm

This special tells the forgotten true story of an African prince who was enslaved in Mississippi for 40 years before finally achieving freedom and becoming one of the most famous men in America. Mos Def narrates.

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS

Saturdays, 11pm

AUSTIN CITY LIMITS continues its longstanding tradition of showcasing the best of American music. Musical styles range from contemporary and traditional pop to rock, country, blues, bluegrass, Latin, folk, roots and more. All find a home on the AUSTIN CITY LIMITS stage.

"Esperanza Spalding/Madeleine Peyroux"

February 6

Singer/composer/bass prodigy Esperanza Spalding debuts on ACL with a mix of jazz, soul and Brazilian pop. Contemporary torch singer Madeleine Peyroux follows in support of her album Bare Bones.

"Them Crooked Vultures"

February 13

Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age, Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters and John Paul Jones from Led Zeppelin combine for high volume rock 'n' roll.

"R.E.M."

February 20

In their AUSTIN CITY LIMITS debut appearance, influential superstars R.E.M. take the stage in support of their latest acclaimed record, Accelerate.

"Kenny Chesney"

February 27

Country music superstar Kenny Chesney hits the ACL stage for a tour through his greatest hits.

NATURE

Sundays, 8pm

For 27 years, NATURE has been the benchmark of natural history programs on television, capturing the splendors of the natural world from the African plains to the Antarctic ice. The series has won more than 450 honors from the television industry, parent groups, the international wildlife film community and environmental organizations, including 10 Emmys, three Peabodys and the first award given to a television program by the Sierra Club.

"The Beauty of Ugly"

February 7

From hagfish to naked mole rats, warthogs to proboscis monkeys to the ugliest bug in Oklahoma, NATURE explores how and why ugly can be beautiful - even when it isn't pretty.

"In the Valley of the Wolves"

February 14

Three years in the making, this is the dramatic saga of Yellowstone's Druid wolf pack, its turf wars with rival packs and the fate of the wolves' Lamar Valley ecosystem.

"Invasion of the Giant Pythons"

February 21

Florida's Everglades National Park is one of the last great wildlife refuges in the United States, home to numerous unique and endangered mammals, trees, plants, birds and turtles, as well as half a million alligators. However, the Everglades is also the dumping ground for many animal invaders - more than 15 species of parrot, 75 kinds of fish and 30 different reptiles - from places as far away as Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. All of the intruders found their way into the park either by accidental escape from pet owners or intentional release by people no longer wishing to care for an exotic species. Add to the mix tens of thousands of giant pythons, snakes that can grow to 20 feet and weigh nearly 300 pounds, some released into the wild by irresponsible pet owners, some escapees from almost 200 wildlife facilities destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The predatory pythons slithered into this protected wilderness and thrived, and the refuge has consequently become less a haven than a killing ground every day since then.

"Is That Skunk?"

February 28

It's a familiar but mysterious creature in woods and neighborhoods all across America. Its infamous weapon is one of the most awful scents in all of nature. Now, intrepid researchers and cameramen track skunks day and night across California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Ohio, even Martha's Vineyard, uncovering how they hunt, forage, mate and raise amazingly cute babies - all the things they're up to when they're not spraying the local dog. And yes, the remarkable secrets of that stink will be revealed!

MASTERPIECE CLASSIC

Sundays, 9pm

For more than 35 years, MASTERPIECE has enthralled audiences with the works of the finest classic and contemporary writers interpreted by the world's foremost actors. The MASTERPIECE schedule breaks the year into three "seasons," each with its own host, graphics and fresh take on the series' famous theme music.

• In winter and spring, MASTERPIECE CLASSIC features signature period dramas.
• In summer, MASTERPIECE MYSTERY! presents the best British mysteries.
• In fall, MASTERPIECE CONTEMPORARY features dramas set in modern times.

"Emma"

February 7

A fiercely funny four-hour adaptation of Jane Austen's delightful love story stars Romola Garai (Atonement) as a young woman whose attempts to play Cupid go disastrously awry. Rich, beautiful and hopelessly self-deluded, Emma Woodhouse can't help meddling in the romantic life of others while neglecting her own. Jonny Lee Miller ("Endgame," "Eli Stone") stars as Emma's stalwart friend, Mr. Knightley, with Michael Gambon ("Cranford," Harry Potter) as her doom-obsessed father.

Episode 3

February 7

How will Jane Austen, the master of happy endings, tie up the tangled affairs of her heroines Emma Woodhouse, Harriet Smith and Jane Fairfax? And what will she do about those mystifying men, Mr. Knightley and Frank Churchill?

"Northanger Abbey"

February 14

In Jane Austen's gentle parody of gothic fiction, Felicity Jones ("Meadowlands") plays romance addict Catherine Morland. Invited to a medieval country house that appeals to her most lurid fantasies, she forms a close friendship with the younger son on the estate, Henry Tilney (JJ Feild, "The Secret Life of Mrs. Beeton"), but their budding romance is mysteriously cut short.

"Persuasion"

February 21

Sally Hawkins (Happy Go Lucky) appears as Anne Elliot, destined for spinsterhood at age 27 after being persuaded eight years earlier to refuse the proposal of dashing Captain Wentworth (Rupert Penry-Jones, "The 39 Steps"). Then chance brings them together again. While her better days are past, his are definitely ahead as he's now rich and free to play the field among eligible young beauties. Anthony Head ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer") co-stars as Anne's spendthrift father.

"The 39 Steps"

February 28

Filled with romance and humor, this adaptation of the popular John Buchan adventure novel, set on the eve of World War I, stars MASTERPIECE favorite Rupert Penry-Jones ("Persuasion") as Richard Hannay, a mining engineer caught up in a conspiracy following the death of a British spy found in his apartment.

GREAT PERFORMANCES

Sunday, February 7, 10pm

Television's longest-running performing arts anthology continues to broadcast the best in music, dance and theater.

"Harlem in Montmartre"

"Harlem in Montmartre" tells the story of the jazz age in Paris between the First and Second World Wars, exploring a fascinating yet often neglected era in African-American cultural history. After peace was signed at Versailles, many black Americans remained in Europe rather than return to the brutal segregation and racism of America; over the next two decades, they created an expatriate community of musicians, entertainers and entrepreneurs, primarily congregating in Paris' hilly Montmartre neighborhood. Some achieved enduring fame, while others faded into history. Inspired by William A. Shack's book and using rare archival material from both France and America, this remarkable documentary features footage of such key figures as James Reese Europe, Josephine Baker, Sidney Bechet, Bricktop, Eugene Bullard, Django Reinhardt and many more. S. Epatha Merkerson narrates.

THE BOMBING OF GERMANY: AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

Monday, February 8, 9pm

On September 1, 1939 - the first day of World War II in Europe - President Franklin D. Roosevelt appealed to the warring nations to "under no circumstances undertake the bombardment from the air of civilian populations." Just six years later, British and American Allied forces had carried out a bombing campaign of unprecedented might over Germany's cities, claiming the lives of nearly half a million civilians. This film examines the defining moments of the offensive that led the U.S. across a moral divide. Weaving interviews with WWII pilots and historians with stunning archival footage of the bombing and its aftermath, the program is a haunting reminder of the dilemma imposed by war's civilian casualties, a topic that continues to resonate as America enters the eighth year of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Joe Morton narrates.

BLUEPRINT AMERICA "Beyond the Motor City"

Monday, February 8, 10pm

The latest installment in the BLUEPRINT AMERICA initiative takes viewers on a cinematic journey in search of America's transportation future. With Detroit, Michigan, as home base, the film hop-scotches across the globe in an effort to look at what's possible.

FACES OF AMERICA

Wednesdays, 8pm

What made America? What makes us? These two questions are at the heart of this new series. Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. turns to the latest tools of genealogy and genetics to explore the family histories of 11 renowned Americans. Looking to the wider immigrant experience, Professor Gates unravels the American tapestry, following the threads of his guests' lives back to their origins around the globe. Along the way, the many stories he uncovers - of displacement and homecoming, of material success and dispossession, of assimilation and discrimination - illuminate the American experience. Professor Gates' guests include poet Elizabeth Alexander, who composed and read the poem at President Barack Obama's inauguration, chef Mario Batali, comedian Stephen Colbert, novelist Louise Erdrich, writer Malcolm Gladwell, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, film director Mike Nichols, Her Royal Highness Queen Noor, actresses Eva Longoria Parker and Meryl Streep and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi.

"Our American Stories"

February 10

Episode one explores the dynamic and shifting relationship America had with her new immigrants in the 20th century. World wars tore apart families and sundered the fabric of many lives, but America beckoned and millions came. America was an ambivalent host, however. At its best, it was a place of refuge and salvation, as it was for film director Mike Nichols, whose entire family escaped Nazi Germany. At its worst, it was a country that would imprison two generations of Japanese Americans, including the forebears of Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi. Viewers will discover the buoyant American optimism that shaped chance - as in a single encounter that changed cellist Yo-Yo Ma's life forever - to pave the road to success.

"Becoming American"

February 17

Episode two explores the many journeys to becoming American that defined the "Century of Immigration" (1820s-1924) and transformed the United States from a sleepy agrarian country into a booming industrial power. Stephen Colbert's Irish great-great-grandfather escaped poverty and religious oppression in Limerick and never looked back, whereas Mario Batali's great-grandfather, who left the place where his family had lived for centuries, struggled to survive in the quartz mines of Montana. Queen Noor's Syrian great-grandfather quickly found his footing in New York's first Arab-American community, while Kristi Yamaguchi's grandfather faced exclusionary laws and racially defined barriers to citizenship for decades. The obstacles, short cuts, tragedies and successes encountered or created by the guests' ancestors from around the world reveal the complexity of our shared history and identity as Americans.

"Making America"

February 24M

Episode three tells the story of the peopling of the New World, how land came to define the settling and identity of America and how the guests' ancestors were part of this history. Viewers learn of Meryl Streep's eighth great-grandfather who fought in Metacom's War; records of a land dispute in Spain that forced Eva Longoria Parker's ancestors to leave for the New World in 1603; and Yo-Yo Ma's Chinese genealogy, which gives insights into the identity that Ma has longed for his whole life.

YELLOWSTONE: LAND TO LIFE

Sunday, February 14, 10:30pm

Filmmaker John Grabowska presents a lyrical interpretation of the sweeping geologic story of Yellowstone, the world's first and most famous national park. Formation of glaciers, mountain ranges and the gigantic caldera of a supervolcano provide the saga of this special place. Filmed over two years through all seasons, the film delves deeply into the significance behind the scenery and illuminates the intimate bonds between the landscape and biology - how Yellowstone's geology influences where life exists and how it evolves. A short concluding film, "Yellowstone's Cascade Corner," features the portion of Yellowstone extending across the southwestern border of Montana into Idaho.

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: THE KENNEDYS

Monday, February 15, 9pm

On August 25, 2008, just two months after undergoing surgery for a malignant brain tumor, "The Lion of the Senate" and the Kennedy family's lone male survivor - Edward M. Kennedy - surprised attendees with an unscheduled speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. "As I look ahead, I am strengthened by family and friendship. So many of you have been with me in the happiest days and the hardest days. Together we have known success and seen setbacks, victory and defeat," Kennedy said. The Kennedy story is unlike any other: a saga of ambition, wealth, family loyalty and personal tragedy. From patriarch Joseph Kennedy's rise on Wall Street and frustrations in politics, John Kennedy's march to the White House, Robert Kennedy's near-certain presidential victory, preempted only by his tragic death, through Edward Kennedy's withdrawal from the 1980 presidential race following the scandal of Chappaquiddick, the family legacy continues to influence politics.

REMEMBERED EARTH: NEW MEXICO'S HIGH DESERT

Sunday, February 21, 10:30pm

New Mexico's high desert is a captivating land of hallowed mountains, red rock canyons and vast, sere plateaus. In REMEMBERED EARTH, filmmaker John Grabowska and Indian author N. Scott Momaday present a vision of hope for humankind's relationship to the natural world by interpreting the myth, beauty and power of a scarred but sacred landscape of the American West. Can we come to see land itself as a community to which we belong?

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: AMELIA EARHART

Monday, February 22, 9pm

Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic and the first to cross the North American continent alone. Her exploits as an aviator, her beauty and intelligence, her independence and charm made her a national heroine. Seemingly invincible, Earhart tirelessly traveled and lectured, a champion of aviation and equal opportunity for women. But her cheering public didn't know the cost of her courage. The record-breaking flights, the aerial exhibitions and races, the interviews to support her favorite causes, the endless speeches and promotional commitments, together with household responsibilities, health problems and financial worries, combined to push Earhart to the point of exhaustion. In 1937, she set out to accomplish yet another first: to circle the earth along the equator on an east-west flight. Friends warned that her preparations were hurried, even careless. When her plane disappeared without a trace, the "First Lady of the Air" was instantly transformed into an American legend.

AMERICAN MASTERS "Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun"

Monday, February 22, 10pm

Writer, cultural anthropologist, chronicler of folk roots and ethnic traditions, daughter of a former slave, Hurston was one of the most celebrated - and most controversial - figures of the Harlem Renaissance, the creatively expansive era in the 1920s when "the Negro was in vogue." She attained unique success in all areas, but her words and her conclusions were often mired in contention - she was called everything from flamboyant to outrageous, unpredictable to bodacious. She collaborated with Langston Hughes, was criticized by Richard Wright and ultimately died a pauper's death in total obscurity. Now considered a lioness of African-American literature, she was resurrected by Alice Walker; such works as Dust Tracks on a Road and Their Eyes Were Watching God are essential reading today. S. Epatha Merkerson ("Law & Order") narrates the program.

RIBBON OF SAND

Sunday, February 28, 10:30pm

The Outer Banks of North Carolina are a slim and moving line of sand in the open Atlantic. Many travelers think they know these islands, but south of Ocracoke Inlet there rises a luminous bar of sand 60 miles in extent, with no roads, no bridges and no hotels. These are the wild beaches of Cape Lookout - one of the few remaining natural barrier islands in the world. At once an exaltation and elegy, RIBBON OF SAND profiles this seascape and the transitory islands that are doomed to disappear. Meryl Streep reads excerpts from Rachel Carson's writings.