American Masters Shorts: Season 1
Explore new documentary shorts about artists who defy the odds to create remarkable work. This ongoing series from American Masters showcases cultural trailblazers through short-form storytelling.
Love, Jamie
Jamie Diaz is a 66-year-old Mexican-American trans woman and self-taught artist who has spent nearly 30 years in a men’s prison in Texas. See how her enduring friendship with Gabriel Joffe, a volunteer who happened upon one of her works, has helped Jamie’s art reach far beyond the prison walls.
5 Firing Line moments that are still relevant today
William F. Buckley, Jr. hosted Firing Line for 33 years. During his tenure as host, he debated a number of influential public figures on topics ranging from comedy to imperialism. This compliation shows Buckley in conversation with five of his most memorable guests on matters that are still important today.
The Incomparable Mr. Buckley (AD + ASL + OC Trailer)
Discover the intellectual evolution and political legacy of William F. Buckley, Jr. See how the author and commentator, one of the foremost public intellectuals in American history, galvanized the modern conservative movement. This version contains audio description, open captions and ASL interpretation.
The Incomparable Mr. Buckley
Discover the intellectual evolution and political legacy of William F. Buckley, Jr. See how the author and commentator, one of the foremost public intellectuals in American history, galvanized the modern conservative movement.
Exclusive Preview: Who was William F. Buckley, Jr.?
Watch the first ten minutes of The Incomparable Mr. Buckley in this sneak preview. Discover how political commentator William F. Buckley, Jr. galvanized the modern conservative movement. The preeminent public intellectual grew up on a sprawling estate in Sharon, Connecticut, where his father's own idea of pedagogy had a lasting impact on his future ideals.
When William F. Buckley, Jr. ran for mayor of New York City
In an effort to drive votes away from "liberal Republican" John Lindsay, William F. Buckley, Jr. ran for mayor of New York City under the Conservative Party. The columnist Pete Hamill said of Buckley at the time, "This is the first person we've ever seen in politics with a genuinely original mind."
Buckley's Yale criticism fueled the conservative movement
William F. Buckley, Jr. was tapped to speak at the Alumni Day Speech at Yale University in 1950. However, Yale administration feared his outspoken criticism of the university and asked Buckley to pare back his speech. Buckley refused and later wrote a book about his experiences at the school.
William F. Buckley, Jr.'s relationship with wife Patricia
William F. Buckley, Jr. and his wife Patricia had a brazen, but loving relationship. The two "annoyed each other intensely and absolutely adored each other." They held grand parties at their home with many distinguished guests.
Daniel Patrick Moynihan on going "beyond the melting pot"
In 1963, Daniel Patrick Moynihan and sociologist Nathan Glazer published their book, "Beyond the Melting Pot," which transformed how ethnicity was viewed in America, from a homogenized country to one of jostling ethnic groups.
Moynihan on working with Nixon across party lines
Against the advice of his family and friends, Daniel Patrick Moynihan took a job with the Nixon administration as Richard Nixon's domestic advisor. Although Moynihan didn't necessarily agree with all of Nixon's politics, he felt a duty to serve the American public. His impact as domestic advisor was wide-ranging, including creating the Council on Urban Affairs.
Explaining the "Moynihan Report"
In 1965, Daniel Patrick Moynihan released his report on the Black family, titled "The Negro Family: The Case for National Action." Through structural and cultural analysis, the "Moynihan Report," as it was known colloquially, detailed "the deterioration of the fabric of Negro society is the deterioration of the Negro family." The report caused controversy upon its release.
Moynihan
Discover the life and legacy of former U.S. Senator and diplomat Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Going beyond the “Moynihan Report,” President Joe Biden, Ta-Nehisi Coates and others reflect on his decades-long fight to end national poverty.
Moynihan (EAD + ASL + OC Trailer)
Discover the life and legacy of former U.S. Senator and diplomat Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Going beyond the “Moynihan Report,” President Joe Biden, Ta-Nehisi Coates and others reflect on his decades-long fight to end national poverty. This version contains extended audio description, open captions and ASL interpretation.
Rare interview footage of Edward Hopper on his process
In this rare archival footage from 1964, Edward Hopper joins host and art critic Brian O'Doherty at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston for a conversation about Hopper's process and inspirations, and his belief that "the important element in the picture cannot be defined."
Edward Hopper's career soared as wife Jo Nivison's faltered
When Edward Hopper first met fellow painter and future spouse Josephine Nivison in 1923, he had not sold a painting in 10 years. Jo, on the other hand, was at her most productive, both showing and selling her artwork. When Jo recommended Hopper's paintings to gallerists, his career began to soar while hers faltered.
A closer look at Edward Hopper's "Automat" and "Chop Suey"
Edward Hopper displayed a preference for quieter social commentary with his art. In "Automat," he paints a woman alone in an empty automat, conveying a sense of loneliness and isolation. In "Chop Suey," two women are depicted at lunch without male chaperones, reflecting the newfound independence many women were experiencing at the time.
Edward Hopper's work showed a narrow view of New York
Edward Hopper painted what he wanted to paint, showing no interest in the growing diversity of America or the social movements happening in New York City.
"It's just almost comical for me to imagine Hopper, still in his button-down at his easel, when you have this great Bohemian culture happening right outside the window," says curator Kim Conaty. "And it's not really reflected in the work."
Edward Hopper's childhood in Nyack, New York
Edward Hopper was raised in Nyack, New York, where his creativity was fostered by his supportive parents and his childhood home influenced his interpretation of light and space in his paintings.
Edward Hopper's simple lifestyle with wife Jo
Edward and Jo Hopper lived an extremely frugal life, with just a hot plate to cook on and their living room used as an art studio. Hopper had a reputation for being gruff and unfriendly, while Jo loved to have drinks and chats with friends.
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