Barnum's father died when he was 15 and he was determined to rise up from his poor living. He first bought a museum and made it into a live performance with animals. He would then partner with James Bailey and together they would create the circus that became known as the Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Explore the early days of this popular, influential and distinctly American form of entertainment during an era when master showmen P.T. Barnum, James Bailey and the Ringling Brothers transformed the nation’s popular culture.

The Circus explores the colorful history of this popular, influential and distinctly American form of entertainment, from the first one-ring show at the end of the 18th century to 1956, when the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey big top was pulled down for the last time.

The Circus explores the colorful history of this popular, influential and distinctly American form of entertainment, from the first one-ring show at the end of the 18th century to 1956, when the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey big top was pulled down for the last time.

“The Acrobat,” explores the contemporary social circus movement through the eyes of Sidney “Iking” Bateman. Growing up in St. Louis, Sidney “Iking” Bateman was exposed to gang life at an early age. This is the story of how he found a community of amateur acrobats, chose circus life over gang life and became a performing artist now touring the world with Cirque du Soleil.

Eugene O’Neill revolutionized the American stage during the 1920’s and 30’s, with ground breaking plays as The Emperor Jones, Anna Christie and Mourning Becomes Electra. He was honored with three Pulitzer prizes and the Nobel prize in literature.

They called him “the iron horse.” Seemingly impervious to injury or illness, Yankee slugger Lou Gehrig never missed a game. But in the spring of 1939, his play began to deteriorate. Not wanting to burden the team, Gehrig benched himself; the next month, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). On July 4th, he gave a farewell speech to a sold-out crowd at Yankee Stadiu

When Ronald Reagan learned he had Alzheimer's disease, he wrote a letter for history. He addressed it to the American people. At summer's end in 2001, George H.W. Bush also wrote a letter for history. He addressed it to his children.

Nearly two decades before the NBA, a team of African American basketball players from Chicago began touring the Midwest as the Harlem Globetrotters.

After an assassin's bullet took his brother's life, Robert F. Kennedy was bereft, not only of someone he loved, but of a role that had given meaning to his life. He had devoted himself to his brother John, suppressing his own ambitions for the sake of the Kennedy name. JFK's death plunged him into unremitting pain and grief, and left him struggling to find his own voice.

On June 5, 1968, Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy was fatally shot in Los Angeles. Just two months earlier, he delivered the news of Dr. King’s assassination to a crowd in Indianapolis.

Examine the origin, history and impact of the 1882 law that made it illegal for Chinese workers to come to America and for Chinese nationals already here ever to become U.S. citizens.

On May 6, 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was signed into law by President Chester A. Arthur.

Examine the origin, history and impact of the 1882 law that made it illegal for Chinese workers to come to America and for Chinese nationals already here ever to become U.S. citizens.

On March 28, 1898, the Supreme Court ruled that Wong Kim Ark had acquired U.S. citizenship at birth and that "the American citizenship which Wong Kim Ark acquired by birth within the United States has not been lost or taken away by anything happening since his birth."

Examine the origin, history and impact of the 1882 law that made it illegal for Chinese workers to come to America and for Chinese nationals already here ever to become U.S. citizens.

On April 13, 1933, the local authorities in Joplin, Missouri decided to investigate the Barrow gang’s hideout. John Harryman, a farmer moonlighting as a part-time peace officer, approached the house with Joplin police. They were armed only with pistols.

In May of 1961, the Freedom Riders crossed into Mississippi. They entered a white only waiting room in Jackson and were arrested. They were sent to Mississippi’s notorious Parchman Prison and continued their protest from inside.

The State of Tennessee v. John Thomas Scopes was decided on July 21, 1925: Scopes was found guilty of violating Tenn. State Law.

The U.S. Olympic committee was threatening to spoil the party by boycotting the 1936 Olympic games. Hitler looked to Germany's best known international athlete, Max Schmeling, for help.