American Masters

History Series / 11 Seasons

American Masters, committed to producing comprehensive film biographies about the broad cast of characters who comprise our cultural history.

1h 51m / TV-14

Lorraine Hansberry on being young, gifted and black

1m 41s

With her health failing, Lorraine Hansberry left the hospital to speak to the teenage winners of a national writing contest. She described the young writers as "young, gifted and black" - the words that inspired the Nina Simone song of the same name - and urged them to represent their community in their work.

Lorraine Hansberry's Inspiration for "A Raisin in the Sun"

2m 29s

Lorraine Hansberry drew inspiration from personal experience when she sat down to write a play about a working class family on the South Side of Chicago. See how she worked to find the words to describe their hopes and struggles, and how she pressed on to complete "A Raisin in the Sun."

Lorraine Hansberry speaks out against injustice

2m 3s

As "A Raisin in the Sun" broke new ground on Broadway, Lorraine Hansberry raised her voice for activism. Hear Lorraine Hansberry's speech of "sighted eyes and feeling heart" against injustice and racism.

The Groundbreaking Broadway Casting of "A Raisin in the Sun"

3m

Sidney Poitier, Lloyd Richard and Ruby Dee reflect on the unprecedented casting of black actors in the Broadway debut of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun."

Lorraine Hansberry: Sighted Eyes/Feeling Heart - Trailer

2m 42s

Explore the inner life and works of the activist, playwright and author of "A Raisin in the Sun," Lorraine Hansberry. Narrated by actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson and featuring the voice of Tony Award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose as Hansberry.

Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Visual Artist

5m 55s

Visual artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh created "Stop Telling Women to Smile," an international street art series that tackles gender-based street harassment. She shares the source of her inspiration and how she works across artistic mediums as a fine artist, illustrator and muralist.

Rakia Reynolds, Founder & CEO: Skai Blue Media

5m 4s

Rakia Reynolds, founder and CEO of PR company Skai Blue Media, has worked with and been inspired by clients such as Serena Williams, Ashley Graham and the hashtag #1000blackgirlbooks. She shares strategies and insights on being a mother, breaking through as an entrepreneur and embracing her identity as a black woman.

Bob Hope, a model for public service in Hollywood

2m 50s

Bob Hope's commitment to philanthropy changed the way Hollywood viewed the responsibility of fame. "Many years he did from 100 to 150 benefits a year," says his daughter Linda Hope. He made it part of his identity to give back to the communities he entertained, most famously, the armed forces with his frequent USO tours.

How Bob Hope transformed monologue misfires

1m 39s

Bob Hope was known for his off-the-cuff comedic style and quick wit. Comedian Conan O'Brien and actor Tom Selleck discuss how Hope was a master of improvising when a joke didn't land or he fumbled a line.

Learn how Bob Hope came up with his iconic standup routines

1m 4s

Journalist Richard Zoglin, comedy writer Robert Mills, and America's most beloved amphibian, Kermit the Frog, discuss Bob Hope's groundbreaking improvisational style. His fast-paced monologues were flexible, and allowed him to bring current events into his comedy act.

This Is Bob Hope... Trailer

56s

Explore the entertainer’s life with unprecedented access to his personal archives including writings voiced by Billy Crystal, clips from his body of work, and interviews with Woody Allen, Margaret Cho, Conan O’Brien, Tom Selleck and Brooke Shields.

Molly Soda, Digital Performance Artist

5m 36s

Best known for her book “Pics or It Didn’t Happen: Images Banned From Instagram” which looks at Instagram and corporate social media image censorship, digital performance artist Molly Soda explores the boundaries of reality, performance and physical space. In this episode, she talks about the blurring of the line between what we present to the public and what we experience off-screen in our lives.

Sara Chipps, JavaScript Developer: CEO of Jewelbots

6m 9s

As co-founder of the non-profit Girl Develop It and co-founder and CEO of Jewelbots, technology-enabled jewelry for tween and teen girls, JavaScript developer Sara Chipps is actively working to increase the number of women and girls becoming web and software developers and entering STEM fields.

Carmen de Lavallade's Inspiring Women

6m 11s

American actress, dancer and choreographer Carmen de Lavallade tells the story of her cousin, ballet dancer Janet Collins. "There are times in your life when you want to give up, but she never did," de Lavallade says. She also shares stories about other inspiring women in her life like Nina Simone and Lena Horne.

Learn about the women who inspired Denis O'Hare growing up

2m 18s

Growing up, Denis O'Hare was surrounded and inspired by musicians. His grandmother was a flapper from the 1920s and '30s who played in an all-girl band. His mother was a church organist and his aunt played as a cellist.

Angie Mar, Owner & Head Chef: The Beatrice Inn

5m 26s

Angie Mar talks about her late start in the world of culinary arts, the work that went into becoming one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs of 2017, and how the food of her childhood and time spent in the corporate world influence her work as owner and executive chef at The Beatrice Inn.

Inspiring Woman Premiere Event & Panel Discussion

36m 10s

American Masters held a panel discussion at Electropositive, a co-working space that focuses on social innovation and impact, with three women featured in "Inspiring Woman:" Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Rakia Reynolds, and Sara Chipps. The panel was moderated by Jenna Flanagan, host of MetroFocus.

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