Sociology

Chronicles the remarkable life of 89-year-old Pedro J. Gonzalez, from his early years as a telegraph operator for Pancho Villa during the Mexican Revolution to his pioneering career as a radio and recording star in Los Angeles, his 1934 arrest on trumped-up charges and subsequent imprisonment, his deportation to Mexico and eventual return to the U.S. some thirty years later.

Examines the key issues, problems and concerns of the Mexican-American community in the U.S. through interviews with prominent Chicano leaders and activists.

Chronicles the history of Chicano Park, famous for its giant murals painted on freeway pillars, which became the focus for the revitalization of San Diego's Chicano community in the 1970s and '80s.

Examines the recuperacion movement among the Indian communities in Colombia where an Indian rebel army is engaged in guerrilla warfare with a Colombian Army counterinsurgency force.

Portrays daily life in a mountaintop slum in Rio de Janeiro, featuring interviews with residents who discuss police harassment, the lack of educational and employment opportunities, problems of sanitation, violence, drugs and alcohol in the community, and social and racial discrimination.

Recounts the larger-than-life but true story of Arno P. Calderari--professional adventurer, jungle explorer, deep sea diver, treasure hunter and wildlife filmmaker-interweaving Arno's reminiscences with rare film footage of his many adventures.

This docudrama examines the Filipino experience at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, focusing on the filmmaker's grandfather, an Igorot warrior, one of the 1,100 tribal natives displayed as anthropological "specimens" in the notorious Philippine Village exhibit.

This historical documentary chronicles New York real estate developer William Levitt's postwar construction of affordable housing for returning WWII veterans and their families in Levittown and other Long Island communities, thereby establishing the prototype for modern suburbia.

This provocative documentary, blending interviews with archival footage, examines the nature of shared national identity and what it means to be an American today.

Examines Pulaski, Tennessee, the town where the Ku Klux Klan was founded right after the Civil War, and where today its memory still runs very deep.

Examines the Anti-Apartheid Movement at the University of California at Berkeley during 1985-86, which led to similar student protests nationwide.

This docudrama explores the little known situation of African slaves in Latin America in the 19th century, depicting life in runaway slave communities.

Dramatizes a real-life incident involving a fight between two high school girls--one white, one black-and then traces in parallel fashion the response of the two families to the incident, revealing the real feelings underlying racial tensions as well as the existence of common interests.

A contemporary portrait of the small southern town where, in June 1964, three young civil rights workers were murdered for registering blacks to vote. In the thirty years since, Philadelphia, Mississippi has retained its infamous reputation as a racist backwater.

Features the musical traditions and verbal recollections of eight retired African-American railroad track laborers, whose occupational folk songs were once heard along the railroad lines that crisscross the South.

Introduces viewers to the step show, an exciting dance style popular among black fraternities and sororities. In addition to many rousing, crowd-pleasing performances, the program examines the cultural roots of steppin' in African dancing, military marching and hip-hop music, and discusses its contemporary social significance on college campuses.

Shows how the Black Church has embraced African-American lesbians and gay men as dedicated members of its spiritual family.

Examines the history and ongoing struggle for scenic preservation of Niagara Falls. By the mid-1800s, the beauty of one of the world's greatest natural wonders had been decimated by years of unbridled commercialism.

While plants are essential for food, fuel, clothing and shelter, they also hold the key to probably the greatest challenge of our times-to feed a global population which will peak in the next twenty years.

Interviews drug addicts, who explain why they started taking drugs, and people who are working to help them.