Independent Lens

Indie Films Series / 8 Seasons

Authentic stories. Extraordinary people.

52m 3s / TV-PG

Daisy Bates: Civil Rights Hero Who Put Her Life on the Line

1m 2s / TV-PG

Daisy Bates was a complex, unconventional, and largely forgotten heroine of the civil rights movement who led the charge to desegregate the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1957.

A Feminist Before the Term Was Invented

1m 8s / TV-PG

As a black woman who was a feminist before the term was invented, Daisy Bates refused to accept her assigned place in society. This film tells the story of her life and public support of nine black students who registered to attend the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas -- pitting a president against a governor and a community against itself.

Black History is American History

30s

Black history is powerful, inspiring, and American. Join us in February as we celebrate Black History Month on Independent Lens, where culture and diversity are featured all season long. Only on PBS.

Daisy Bates: Turning a Childhood Tragedy into the Pursuit of

1m 32s / TV-PG

As soldiers began streaming into Little Rock to maintain order during the desegregation of all-white Central High School, Daisy Bates reflected on a driving force behind her own activism: the murder of her own mother when she was a child.

Daisy Bates: Retiring from the Struggle, But Not From the Ca

1m 17s / TV-PG

In later years, Daisy Bates returned to journalism, working tirelessly for the Arkansas State Press. However, after five years of working long days and late nights, she realized the pressure of running a weekly newspaper was too much for her.

Have You Heard From Johannesburg: The Secret Intrigue That H

3m 46s / TV-PG

The anti-apartheid movement used a complex network of covert strategies involving cover identities, disguises, and secret messages to facilitate communication between the exiled ANC Deputy President Oliver Tambo and the imprisoned Nelson Mandela. Don't miss "Free at Last," the final episode of the landmark series, "Have You Heard from Johannesburg," airing January 26, 2012 (check local listings).

Free At Last - A Preview

3m 40s / TV-PG

South Africans tell the story of the most important effort in the anti-apartheid campaign of the 80's: the alliance that brought together freedom fighters in South Africa as never before. The UDF protests climax in a fierce campaign of defiance, and internationally, Nelson Mandela becomes a household name as the campaign to free him ignites a worldwide crusade.

The Bottom Line - A Preview

3m 2s / TV-PG

Boycotts and divestment campaigns bring the anti-apartheid movement into the lives and communities of people around the world, helping everyday people understand and challenge Western economic support for apartheid. Faced with attacks at home and growing chaos in South Africa, international companies pull out in a mass exodus, causing a financial crisis in the now-isolated South Africa.

Have You Heard From Johannesburg: A Very Public Protest Agai

1m 45s / TV-PG

On Thanksgiving Eve in 1984, Congressman Walter Fauntroy made national news when he and two other prominent protestors were arrested at the South African Embassy in Washington D.C. during a sit-in protest. Don't miss "From Selma to Soweto," the third episode of the landmark series, "Have You Heard from Johannesburg," airing January 19, 2012 (check local listings).

From Selma to Soweto - A Preview

2m 41s / TV-PG

Long one of South Africa's most important and powerful allies, the United States becomes a key battleground in the anti-apartheid movement as African Americans lead the charge to change the U.S. government's policy toward the apartheid regime.

Have You Heard From Johannesburg: Making the Case for Divest

4m 50s / TV-PG

Two African American employees of Polaroid initiated a public awareness campaign to force their company to cease doing business there. Don't miss "The Bottom Line," the fourth episode of the landmark series, "Have You Heard from Johannesburg," airing January 19, 2012 (check local listings).

The New Generation - A Preview

1m 42s / TV-PG

It is youth, both inside and outside, who next join the growing movement against apartheid. Oliver Tambo returns to the United Nations to try to convince them to sanction South Africa. His efforts gain new public support as the brutal suppression of a youth uprising in the South African township of Soweto and the murder of freedom fighter Steve Biko turn South Africa from a country into a cause.

A Landmark Series on the Anti-Apartheid Movement

34s / TV-PG

This 5-part series, airing over three weeks, chronicles the unprecedented international movement of citizen activists who fought for three decades to bring down the brutal, racist system of apartheid in South Africa when their governments would not.

The African National Congress Turns 100

38s

Host Mary-Louise Parker recognizes the 100th Anniversary of the African National Congress and promotes the Independent Lens film Have You Heard from Johannesburg. The five-part series by Connie Field chronicles the history of the global anti-apartheid movement and premieres on Independent Lens on Thursday, January 12 on PBS.

Road to Resistance - A Preview

1m 46s / TV-PG

In 1948, South Africa implements a rigid, racist system of laws called apartheid to segregate its people in every aspect of life. The black majority in South Africa, led by the African National Congress (ANC), mounts a nonviolent campaign of defiance, attracting the attention of activists in Britain, Sweden, and the United States -- sowing the seeds of an international movement.

Have You Heard from Johannesburg: The World Witnesses the So

4m 58s / TV-PG

On June 16, 1976, what began as a non-violent demonstration by students in Soweto quickly escalated into a violent uprising once the authorities fired on the unarmed protestors, killing 12-year-old Hector Pieterson. Don't miss "The New Generation," the second episode of the landmark series, "Have You Heard from Johannesburg," airing January 12, 2012 (check local listings).

Have You Heard from Johannesburg: The Sharpeville Massacre C

1m 49s / TV-PG

In March of 1960, the brutal massacre of protestors in the town of Sharpesville became an early catalyst for the worldwide anti-apartheid movement. Don't miss "The Road to Resistance," the first episode of the landmark series, "Have You Heard from Johannesburg," airing January 12, 2012 (check local listings).

These Amazing Shadows: To Colorize or Not to Colorize

2m 10s / TV-PG

When Ted Turner began colorizing classic black-and-white films in the MGM film library, he unwittingly catalyzed the movement that would lead to the formation of the National Film Registry. Many famous hollywood actors and directors spoke out against the practice and pleaded for the preservation of these celluloid treasures.

These Amazing Shadows: Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch

1m 27s / TV-PG

Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in the film adaptation of "To Kill a Mockingbird" is seen by many as the ideal father figure. In this excerpt from "These Amazing Shadows," we hear from actor Tim Roth and Peck's own son, Stephen Peck, about how this character shaped their ideas about both America and fatherhood.

Saving the Nation's Family Pictures

1m 1s / TV-PG

The National Film Registry is an eclectic collection of films that typify cinema's contributions to American culture. It is a growing roll call of national cultural and artistic treasures that reflect a nation's self-perception, fears, and ambitions.

Supported by