History
Destination America
America is a nation of immigrants. Their faces have changed, not their reasons for coming: in flight from poverty, persecution, war – drawn by the shimmering promise of America. This series explores the forces that brought them here in such extraordinary numbers.
PBS
Four Hours
2005
“David Grubin’s richly textured four-hour PBS documentary on immigration takes in, among many others, migrant workers from south of the border; modern dancers from Taiwan; and women who flee second-class citizenship or servitude in Guatemala, the Middle East, and even Italy. This is the sort of television that puts faces on stats, but it’s also almost elegiac: These are the doors we are bolting behind us.”
– John Leonard, New York Magazine
Episodes:
The Golden Door
This program explores the economic forces that brought immigrants to America by the tens of millions, featuring the stories of the Irish, the Norwegians, and Mexican immigrants.
The Art of Departure
Creative spirits have come to America from all over the world, drawn to the possibilities of a free society, but it has never been easy to leave home. This program tells why they come here, featuring Fang-yi Sheu, principal dancer with the Martha Graham company, the Russian artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, and famed composer Arturo Toscanini.
The Earth is the Lord’s
They left behind a world that didn’t want them, and came to America to worship in freedom. This program tells the story of the Amish and Mennonites, the Hassidic Jews, and the Tibetans.
Breaking Free: A Woman’s Journey
Some feared for their lives; others were searching for new opportunities. This program explores the reasons that have drawn women to America, featuring stores from Guatemala, Italy, and Iran.
A Walk Through the 20th Century
Marshall, Texas. Marshall, Texas
The Arming of the Earth
The Reel World of News
WWII: The Propaganda Battle
The Imagemakers
The 30 Second President