Black History Month Centennial: February Programming Highlights

WHUT - Black History Month Programming

For 100 years, the nation has recognized the achievements and contributions of Black Americans, and their place in American history during the month of February. WHUT honors Black Americans in our community and beyond with a special lineup.

February Programming Highlights

Tue. 2/3

8pm - NEW! Raise Your Head Up: Freedom Colonies in America - After the American Civil War, over four million formerly enslaved people were set free, but most had no place to go. Wanting some autonomy over their own lives, many formed Freedom Colonies in an endeavor to live as far away from the racism of Jim Crow as possible.

10pm - NEW! Allergic to Failure: The Robert Covington Story. The powerful story of former NBA player Robert Covington, who, rooted in grit, faith, and self-belief, defied the odds by transitioning from HBCU student to a decade-long career in the highest level of professional basketball. Finding his footing at Tennessee State University, he discovered not just his basketball potential but embraced the excellence and rich legacy of HBCUs.

Sat. 2/7

9am - Phoebe & Jay is a new PBS Kids series. They are new to the Tobsy Towers where their dad just accepted a job as building superintendent and their grandmother works as a security guard.

Phoebe & Jay

Sun. 2/8

11am – 5pm The Sunday Special celebrates Black music. Programming includes: Anacostia Delta: The Legacy of DC's TeleMasters, DMV The Beat, Black Divas, Fight The Power: How Hip Hop Changed The World

Anacostia Delta: The Legacy of DC’s TeleMasters

Mon. 2/9

4pm – 9pm Our afternoon block features profiles of noted artists, actors, and musicians. Programming includes:
Denzel Washington: American Paradox, Gabriel's Daughter: The Life and Legacy of Clara Brown, Black Fire Documentary

Tue. 2/10

8pm - NEW! Fuller Education. It follows the unique journey of Dr. Howard Fuller, an African American civil rights leader and educator who has personally won support from figures as politically diverse as George W. Bush and Barack Obama. As the leader of a big-city school district, Fuller initiated radical new ideas in education that catalyzed a major shift in perspective and are now being emulated nationwide.

A Fuller Education

10pm – Also new is American Justice on Trial: People v. Newton. In one of the "trials of the century" that still reverberates today, Black Panther leader Huey P. Newton faced the death penalty for killing a white policeman in a late-night car stop in 1967 Oakland.

Wed. 2/11

8pm - Everlasting: Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers honors the life, work and impact of one of Mississippi's most courageous voices, who was assassinated outside his home in 1963. Originally from Decatur, Mississippi, Medgar Evers played a pivotal role in the civil rights movement as the state's first field secretary for the NAACP.

Fri. 2/13

8pm - Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History is a four-part series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr. that explores the historic relationship between Black and Jewish American communities in all its complexity, possibility, and depth. The first episode is entitled “Let My People Go.”

9pm – Gospel, from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., digs deep into the origin story of Black spirituality through sermon and song.

Sun. 2/15

11am – 6pm The Sunday Special celebrate Black figures in the world of sports. Programming includes: Reel South - An annual high school football game unites a historically segregated town in rural Louisiana, POV The Last Out - Cuban baseball players leave their families and chase their dreams of playing in the United States, Black College Football Hall of Fame: Journey to Canton, The Golden Year: Howard Women's Basketball

Mon. 2/16

4pm – Our afternoon spotlight shines on Black figure in music.

10pm - Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History repeats.

Tue. 2/17

8pm - NEW! Bigger Than Africa. When the slave ships crossed the Atlantic, they carried more than bodies - they transported entire civilizations, rich with philosophies, religions, languages, rhythms and ancestral memory. BIGGER THAN AFRICA traces the living legacy of Yoruba culture - from the vibrant Candomble temples of Salvador, Brazil and the Orisha festivals of Trinidad, to Harlem's drum circles and the enduring traditions in West Africa.

Wed. 2/18

9pm – Our Wednesday drama has season 1 of Broadchurch to pair with Luther. When a young boy is murdered, this small town of Broadchurch in Dorset suddenly becomes the focus of a major event in the full glare of the media spotlight. DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) lead the investigation. (This repeats Saturday nights at 9.)

Thurs. 2/19

9pm - Independent Lens 'The Librarians' is new. When Texas lawmakers seek to review a list of books, librarians find themselves on the frontlines of a national battle. Across the U.S., librarians face the impact of uniting against library collection standards that include restrictions on race-related and LGBTQIA+ content. Drawing on historical context, The Librarians explores the broader implications for education and public life.

Sun. 2/22

11am – The Sunday Special has programs on Civil Rights. Note that at 8pm, it’s the 2-hour version of Everlasting: Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers.

Mon. 2/23

8pm – The Legacy Series: Girl Scouts.

Tue. 2/24

8pm - I'm Goin' Home is a story that has never been told about an enslaved person's journey to freedom on the Underground Railroad. It is also the story of the brave men and women who helped him make the dangerous 400-mile trip from Senator Henry Clay's Ashland Estate in Lexington, Kentucky to Canada. This account is also the vehicle by which the evils, economics and politics of slavery is revealed.

I’m Goin’ Home

Wed. 2/25

8pm – American Justice on Trial: People v. Newton.

American Justice on Trial:
People v. Newton

Sat. 2/28

Get Good with Money with Tiffany Aliche

2pm – We begin our pledge drive with Get Good with Money with Tiffany Aliche. Build wealth through financial wholeness with the Budgetnista's plan for making money work for you.

3:30pm - NEW! Deconstructing the Beatles Part 2. No matter how much you know about the Beatles, there's something new here for you. Episodes in Part 2 include “Deconstructing A Hard Day's Night,” “A Stroll Down Penny Lane,” and “Here Come the Songs: The Evolution of George Harrison.”

5pm – We encore 60s and 70s Soul Celebration (My Music Presents.)

10pm – It’s the pledge version of Independent Lens: We Want the Funk.

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