American Experience

History Series / 15 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.

52m 54s

The Big Burn, Chapter 1

7m 59s

In the summer of 1910, hundreds of wildfires raged across the Northern Rockies. By the time it was all over, more than three million acres had burned and at least 78 firefighters were dead. It was the largest fire in American history, and it assured the future of the still-new United States Forest Service. The Big Burn premieres February 3 on American Experience PBS.

"Hire Everybody You Can Find"

1m 45s

In the summer of 1910, the Forest Service had less than 500 rangers nationwide. With hundreds of fires already burning, the organization set out to hire more men; in some instances, they even let out felons from local jails to help battle the blazes. "The Big Burn" premieres February 3 on PBS American Experience

Gifford Pinchot's Vision

2m 35s

At the turn of the 20th century, Gifford Pinchot was the nation’s preeminent forester. When his good friend, Theodore Roosevelt became president in 1901, the two men created plans and programs for protecting America’s forests. "The Big Burn" premieres February 3 on PBS American Experience.

The Heroes of the Big Burn

2m 19s

After the Big Burn, Pinchot publicizes the selfless actions of the fire fighters who lost their lives in the blaze. The men who gave their lives to defend America’s public lands were regaled as heroes in the press, and an outpouring of public support helps ensure the survival and growth of the U.S. Forest Service. "The Big Burn" premieres February 3 on PBS American Experience.

America's Timber

2m 58s

In the early 1900s, timber was an essential industrial product in the US. Gifford Pinchot and President Theodore Roosevelt worried that unless America’s forests were protected and regulated, the nation’s forests would soon disappear. "The Big Burn" premieres February 3 on PBS American Experience.

Fire as the Enemy

2m 54s

Chief Forester Gifford Pinchot saw fighting forest fires as being essential to the new Forest Service’s mission. Fire could wipe out entire forests and Pinchot’s rangers were the nation’s only defense against it. "The Big Burn" premieres February 3 on PBS American Experience.

Edison's Electric Light

2m 27s

On New Year’s Eve, 1879, Thomas Edison unveiled his newest invention: the electric light. Reporters came from all over the U.S. to see Edison’s Menlo Park lab lit up with his incandescent bulbs. “Edison” premieres January 27, 2015 on PBS American Experience.

Beyond the Doc: Edison's Inventions

2m 40s

Thomas Edison is famous for inventions like the lightbulb, the phonograph and the kinetograph. But with over a thousand U.S. patents to his name, these famous breakthroughs are just the beginning. Go Beyond the Doc to learn about Edison's lesser-known inventions.

Edison Preview

30s

Premiering January 27, 2015 on PBS American Experience. Thomas Edison achieved glory as the genius behind such revolutionary inventions as sound recording, motion pictures, and electric light. The holder of more patents than any other inventor in history, "The Wizard of Menlo Park" was also intensely competitive and was often neglectful in his private life.

Edison, Chapter 1

9m 22s

By the 1920s, Thomas Edison was a prolific inventor and quite possibly the most famous man in the world. But before he invented the phonograph, the lightbulb or the kinetoscope, he was a young boy working as a telegraph operator. He soon began tinkering with the telegraphic equipment and experimenting with his own improvements. "Edison" premieres January 27 on American Experience PBS.

The Black Maria

2m 39s

In 1894, Thomas Edison filmed sharpshooter Annie Oakley in his Black Maria studio. He was testing a new device called the kinetograph, an electrically powered camera capable of capturing motion. “Edison” premieres January 27, 2015 on PBS American Experience.

The Kinetoscope

3m 32s

In the 1890s, Thomas Edison worked with his assistant and part-time photographer, William Dickson to create a motion picture camera. They created a series of short films that could be viewed on a coin-operated, peephole viewing cabinet called a kinetoscope. “Edison” premieres January 27, 2015 on PBS American Experience.

Edison and Competition

3m 4s

Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated his new invention, the telephone, at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. The always-competitive Thomas Edison then worked with his team to develop a device that trumped Bell’s, the carbon-button transmitter, just a few months later. “Edison” premieres January 27, 2015 on PBS American Experience.

Electrifying Manhattan

2m 59s

In February 1881, Thomas Edison established the headquarters of the Edison Electric Light Company in New York City. Edison’s goal of electrifying Lower Manhattan had stalled for two years while Edison and his team grappled with creating the world’s first electrical power grid. “Edison” premieres January 27, 2015 on PBS American Experience.

The Phonograph

2m 14s

On December 7, 1877 Thomas Edison demonstrated his phonograph at the New York City offices of the nation’s leading technical weekly publication, “Scientific American.” The following report set off a stampede of reporters to Edison’s laboratory to hear the amazing device. “Edison” premieres January 27, 2015 on PBS American Experience.

The First Resurgence

2m 11s

After the 1915 premiere of D.W. Griffith's "The Birth of a Nation," there was a resurgence in the Ku Klux Klan in America. By the mid-1920s, nearly 4 million Americans claimed Klan membership, making them a powerful political force. "Klansville U.S.A." premieres January 13 at 9/8c on PBS American Experience.

Beyond the Doc: Symbols

2m 59s

The Ku Klux Klan has been a presence in America on and off since Reconstruction in the late 1800s, using symbols as powerful intimidation tools. But some of these symbols have rich histories and deep cultural roots that are completely unrelated to the hate group.

Nothing to Hide

2m 55s

Bob Jones dreamed of making his North Carolina Klan a powerful voting block. To do this, he staged street walks to show the "human side" of Klan members, and to prove that his Klan had nothing to hide. "Klansville U.S.A." premieres January 13 at 9/8c on PBS American Experience.

Intimidation Tactics

3m 2s

In order to maintain his power as Grand Dragon, Bob Jones cultivated a careful balance between promoting the militant message of the Klan, while still appearing to be non-violent. "Klansville U.S.A." premieres January 13 at 9/8c on PBS American Experience.

Klansville U.S.A., Chapter 1

7m 33s

In the 1960s, Bob Jones was the most influential Grand Dragon in the United States. In just three years, he grew the North Carolina Ku Klux Klan from a handful of members to approximately 10,000, earning the state a new nickname: "Klansville, USA." But it wouldn't be long before the group caught the attention of the FBI. "Klansville U.S.A." premieres January 13, 2015 on PBS American Experience.

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