The NAACP and Its Architects

American Experience

History Series / 14 Seasons

American Experience, TV's most-watched history series, brings to life the compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today.

Watch Latest: S37 E2

53m

Elevating the City

1m 33s

In response to cholera and dysentery epidemics, the Chicago Board of Sewage Commissioners selected Ellis Sylvester Chesbrough to solve Chicago’s public health crisis. Chesbrough’s planned system relied on gravity flow, but downtown streets were too low to drain into the river. New sewers raised the city's streets as much as 10 feet. The challenge then was to raise the buildings.

Reversing the River

1m 40s

By the mid-19th century, Chicago was a growing city encountering problems with its water supply and sewage disposal. Ellis Chesbrough was selected to solve Chicago’s public health crisis. Chesbrough’s solution: change the direction of the Chicago River. In 1871, the extraordinary feat of engineering was accomplished—the river now flowed west from Lake Michigan and down to the Illinois River.

Chicago's Grain Elevators

1m 38s

Although the grain elevator was invented in Buffalo, the grain elevator system came into being in Chicago—the city built its first in 1848, and by 1858 twelve mammoth grain houses dominated its skyline. By 1861, Chicago's grain trade had increased to 50 million bushels annually -- a rise of over 48 million bushels in a decade -- supporting the city's boast that it fed the world.

Mount Rushmore Chapter 1

11m 25s

An obsessed artist struggles against bankruptcy, public indifference, and a brutal terrain, to build the great American monument, Mount Rushmore. High on a granite cliff in South Dakota's Black Hills tower the huge carved faces of four American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Together they constitute the world's largest piece of sculpture.

Mount Rushmore Preview

30s

An obsessed artist struggles against bankruptcy, public indifference, and a brutal terrain, to build the great American monument, Mount Rushmore. High on a granite cliff in South Dakota's Black Hills tower the huge carved faces of four American presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Together they constitute the world's largest piece of sculpture.

Borglum's Sculpting Technique

2m 22s

After his workers had blasted off the surface rock of the mountain, Gutzon Borglum spent days and nights watching how the light and shadow landed on the mountain. This process ultimately made him decide to deviate from the original plan and shift 20 degrees. Borglum built a studio size model of Mount Rushmore and proceeded to enlarge the measurements on a scale to sculpt the mountain itself.

Sculpting a National Monument

2m 41s

The Borglum family archives include some historic home movies, early color films of the mountain's sculpting in progress. See Gutzon and the workers in action as they struggle with winches, jackhammers -- and Mother Nature.

Mount Rushmore Challenges

46s

Gutzon Borglum and his team of workers were aware that there would be challenges to face during the sculpting of Mount Rushmore. While some of the faults were easy to identify, others were difficult to detect.

Sculpting Jefferson's Head

40s

Even though the workers blasted down 60 feet to find carve-able rock, huge cracks took shape on the Jefferson face. Borglum used a special concoction of materials to fill in the cracks in Jefferson's head, costing additional time and money.

Flood Film Clips

2m 39s

Footage from the 1927 flood. Clips include shots of workers along the Mississippi River enforcing the levees with sandbags, Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover surveying the damage, and aerial views of the flooding.

Behind the Scenes with Cinematographer Boyd Estus

2m 58s

Cinematographer Boyd Estus talks about filming the Pioneer Zephyr exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago and the joys of shooting historical documentaries.

Attica Prison Riot

16m 22s

Robert Douglass served as Counsel and later Secretary to Governor Nelson Rockefeller from 1965-1972. He was sent to Attica during the uprising to represent the Governor and to help quell the riot and appease the inmates. Frank Smith was an inmate at the prison and acted as a guard during the uprising, trying to assure that none of the officials sent in to negotiate with the prisoners were harmed.

Paul Krugman Interview

8m 48s

In this exclusive interview, Princeton economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman discusses the relevance of the Rockefellers in today's business environment of mergers, monopolies, and the new "age of the heroic entrepreneur."

Prospects of Mankind with Eleanor Roosevelt

16m 19s

"Prospects of Mankind with Eleanor Roosevelt" first aired on WGBH in October, 1959. The monthly series was a forum for prominent leaders and decision makers to discuss current issues with Eleanor as mediator and host. "Prospects of Mankind" is an example of Eleanor Roosevelt's fervent interest in world affairs during the last years of her life.

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