Chapter 1 | Citizen Hearst, Part 1
Explore the life of William Randolph Hearst, the pioneering media mogul and inspiration for Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane.
Yellow Journalism
On the evening of February 15, 1898, a massive explosion tore through the battleship U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor, Cuba. The explosion sank the vessel, killed over 260 sailors and shocked the American public. Days later, William Randolph Heart’s newspaper, The New York Journal, ran a sensational headline.
Chapter 1 | Citizen Hearst, Part 2
William Randolph Hearst’s media empire included 28 newspapers, a movie studio, a syndicated wire service, radio stations and 13 magazines.
Trailer | Citizen Hearst
Explore the life of William Randolph Hearst. The model for Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane, he controlled a vast media empire, wielded unprecedented power and influence, and forever transformed the media’s role in American life and politics.
Joseph Pulitzer
Joseph Pulitzer was a newspaper editor and publisher. In 1883 he moved to New York City, where he purchased The New York World.
The World became the most popular newspaper at the time, printing a quarter million copies on weekday mornings.
Millicent Hearst
Millicent Hearst was married to the media tycoon William Randolph Hearst. She met W.R. in New York City in 1896, when he was 33 and she was a 16-year-old showgirl.
Marion Davies
Marion Davies was the mistress of media tycoon William Randolph Hearst. Hearst used his influence and wealth to launch a film career for Davies.
William Randolph Hearst
William Randolph Hearst believed he was not reporting history but was instead creating it. By the end of the 1920s, Hearst owned newspapers in almost every major city, as well as magazines and even radio stations.
Sandra Day O’Connor: First Woman on the Supreme Court
During the 1980 presidential campaign, Ronald Reagan promised to nominate the first woman to the U.S. Supreme Court. He made good on that promise in 1981, when he announced Sandra Day O’Connor’s nomination.
Chapter 1 | Sandra Day O'Connor: The First
Discover the story of the Supreme Court’s first female justice.
Trailer | Sandra Day O'Connor: The First
The Supreme Court’s first female justice, Sandra Day O'Connor. A pioneer who both reflected and shaped an era, she was the deciding vote in cases on some of the 20th century’s most controversial issues—including race, gender and reproductive rights.
Last Days in Afghanistan
In this exclusive conversation, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE’s executive producer Cameo George speaks with the acclaimed filmmaker about the parallels between the 1975 evacuation of Vietnam and the recent American withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the lessons that America’s history in Vietnam offer today.
Trailer | Mr. Tornado| American Experience
The remarkable story of the Ted Fujita, whose groundbreaking work in research and applied science saved thousands of lives and helped Americans prepare for and respond to dangerous weather phenomena.
The Polio Crusade Preview
The story of the polio crusade pays tribute to a time when Americans banded together to conquer a terrible disease. The medical breakthrough saved countless lives and had a pervasive impact on American philanthropy that continues to be felt today.
Extended Trailer | Billy Graham
An international celebrity by age 30, Billy Graham built a media empire, preached to millions worldwide, and had the ear of tycoons, presidents and royalty.
Chapter 1 | Billy Graham
Billy Graham explores the life and career of one of the best-known and most influential religious leaders of the 20th century.
Billy Graham Crusades
The first Billy Graham crusade was held in 1947 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. By some estimates, Graham reached more than 210 million people in over 185 countries.
Billy Graham: American Evangelist
William Franklin Graham, Jr., an American evangelist and preacher was born on November 7, 1918 in rural North Carolina. In 1934, Graham attended a traveling revival meeting and had a religious experience.
Trailer | Billy Graham
Explore the life of one of the best-known and most influential religious leaders of the 20th century. An international celebrity by age 30, Billy Graham built a media empire, preached to millions worldwide, and had the ear of tycoons, presidents and royalty.
Chapter 1 | American Oz
By 1900, when The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published, L. Frank Baum was 44 years old and had spent much of his life in restless pursuit of success.
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