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Timeline of a Nation
Public Media 250
1700s—The Revolutionary Era
Billy Flora | Revolution 250: Stories From The First Shore
In December 1775, William “Billy” Flora, a free Black man from Portsmouth and member of the 2nd Virginia Regiment, performed a heroic act during the Battle of Great Bridge. Holding off British forces long enough for Patriot reinforcements to arrive, Flora helped secure a key victory that drove Governor Dunmore from Virginia and shaped the Revolution’s course. Discover Hampton Roads’ unsung heroes whose actions helped spark the American Revolution.
Bray School | Revolution 250: Stories From The First Shore
The Williamsburg Bray School, founded in 1760, is the oldest surviving building built to educate Black children in America. Its lessons reveal deep contradictions—teaching skills and faith while reinforcing enslavement. Today, the school stands as a site of resilience, memory, and critical reflection on America’s complex history. Discover Hampton Roads’ unsung heroes whose actions helped spark the American Revolution.
Elizabeth Bennett Young | Revolution 250: Stories from the First Shore
During the Revolutionary War, Elizabeth Bennett Young risked everything to save her county’s records from destruction at the hands of the British. Her bravery preserved vital Isle of Wight history, which continues to tell the story of her and her neighbors 250 years later. Discover Hampton Roads’ unsung heroes whose actions helped spark the American Revolution.
Michael Twitty | Revolution 250: Stories from the First Shore
Michael Twitty, a James Beard Award–winning writer, explores the deep roots of American history, through food. During his time in Colonial Williamsburg, the culinary historian used dishes like sweet potato pumpkin and black-eyed peas, to reveal how food carried culture, resilience and identity, shaping Southern and American traditions and connecting past to present. Discover Hampton Roads’ unsung heroes whose actions helped spark the American Revolution.
1800s—Expansion, Division & Reconstruction
Penn's Woods: Cradle of Conservation
A historic look at how Pennsylvania's natural resources helped transform the state into an industrial powerhouse. With economic booms and revolutions in natural resource extraction, came an environmental price. Pennsylvanians set about restoring the state's environmental riches and in the process helped shape the national conservation and environmental movements of the twentieth century.
First Baptist Church | Revolution 250: Stories From The First Shore
Archaeologists uncovered the foundations and burial ground of First Baptist Church, founded in 1776 by free and enslaved Blacks in Williamsburg. Once hidden beneath asphalt, the site now reveals a powerful story of faith, resilience, and historic justice, restoring this community to its rightful place in the American narrative. Discover Hampton Roads’ unsung heroes whose actions helped spark the American Revolution.
Still Here: Native American Resilience in New England
"Still Here: Native American Resilience in New England" features Indigenous perspectives and takes a fresh look at the history of the region, including the hidden history of Indigenous slavery, "paper genocide" and efforts to keep traditions alive.
Dakota Pathways: The Mighty Mo
Throughout our history and even before human habitation, the Missouri River has played a significant role in shaping not only the physical geography of South Dakota but also the human geography. This episode examines how the Missouri River has shaped human habitation in the state and region. In this collection of resources, your students will learn how the river served as a life source for many early Indian tribes and as a watery highway for exploration and settlement. It has
Early 1900s—Progress & Protest
A Palace of Art: The Pennsylvania State Capitol
"It is the handsomest building I ever saw," said Theodore Roosevelt in his speech inaugurating Pennsylvania's State Capitol Building. Conceived by architect Joseph Huston in 1901, the seat of the Commonwealth's government conjures up images of romantic palazzos in Florence. Visitors to the Capitol find numerous works of art worthy of nobility, earning it the moniker "Palace of Art."
Penn's Woods: Cradle of Conservation
A historic look at how Pennsylvania's natural resources helped transform the state into an industrial powerhouse. With economic booms and revolutions in natural resource extraction, came an environmental price. Pennsylvanians set about restoring the state's environmental riches and in the process helped shape the national conservation and environmental movements of the twentieth century.
Kiyokawa Apple Paradise
The story of a third-generation Japanese American-owned fruit orchard in the shadow of Oregon’s Mount Hood. The Kiyokawas have been stewards of the land since 1911 and, over the next century, survived the forcible relocation of Japanese Americans to concentration camps during World War II and the continuing challenges of generational farming.
Mr. Besley's Forest
In 1906, Maryland was third in the nation to establish a state system of forests and parks. Fred W. Besley, appointed by Governor Edwin Warfield, became Maryland's first State Forester. During his 36 years, Besley created a model for scientific forest management and the Big Tree formula. Today, Marylanders are learning his lessons of forest conservation and listening to the music of the trees.
1930s-1940s—Crisis, War & Resilience
WITF Music Presents: Country Music in Pennsylvania
Explore the roots of country music in PA with untold regional stories of the state’s role in the creation of a uniquely American form. Plus, explore how the genre is thriving and inspiring a new generation of musicians and fans.
Still Here: Native American Resilience in New England
"Still Here: Native American Resilience in New England" features Indigenous perspectives and takes a fresh look at the history of the region, including the hidden history of Indigenous slavery, "paper genocide" and efforts to keep traditions alive.
Quiltmakers of Gee's Bend
Quilt making has a long history in Alabama, and there are no finer examples of this art form than the motifs and craftsmanship of the quilts of Gee’s Bend.
Kiyokawa Apple Paradise
The story of a third-generation Japanese American-owned fruit orchard in the shadow of Oregon’s Mount Hood. The Kiyokawas have been stewards of the land since 1911 and, over the next century, survived the forcible relocation of Japanese Americans to concentration camps during World War II and the continuing challenges of generational farming.
1950s-1970s—Civil Rights & Social Change
Meltdown at Three Mile Island: 40 Years Later
The Three Mile Island accident on March 28, 1979 is still considered the worst at a U.S. nuclear plant in history. This documentary details what happened inside the containment building at TMI on March 28, the chaos, confusion, miscommunication and fear in the area surrounding the plant afterwards and the legacy of TMI after the accident.
The Vietnam War: WITF Stories
The Vietnam War…In Central Pennsylvania, many supported America’s involvement. Many others did not. At the end of the war, veterans, activists and refugees all had one thing in common… They all had a story to tell. This program is proudly featured as part of the PBS Stories of Service Wavelength Series.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah Denton battled the North Vietnamese for eight long years as a prisoner in the infamous Hanoi Hilton prison. Family, friends, and fellow POWs help tell the story of this American hero who returned from Vietnam and became a U.S. Senator from Alabama.
Defending Freedom: The Arthur D. Shores Story
Defending Freedom tells the story of Birmingham-native Arthur D. Shores, and the impact he had on the civil rights movement as one of Alabama's first Black trial attorneys.
1980s-1990s—Culture, Technology & Power
The Murder of Mulugeta Seraw
This story takes a deep archival dive into the rise of white nationalism in Portland, Oregon, which led to the murder of Ethiopian immigrant Mulugeta Seraw in 1988 at the hands of racist skinheads. The story is grounded in the personal account of Mulugeta’s uncle Engedaw Berhanu, who led the charge to hold the racist organization White Aryan Resistance responsible for his nephew’s murder. The film draws on oral histories of antiracist activists and people from Portland’s musi
Christa
Christa McAuliffe, America’s first teacher in space, is the subject of a moving documentary on the creation of her statue, unveiled in September 2024 at the New Hampshire State House and created by Idaho sculptor Benjamin Victor. Through interviews with former students, educators, and state leaders, the film celebrates her life and belief that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things.
UNIDAD: Gay & Lesbian Latinos Unidos
Gay and Lesbian Latinos Unidos (GLLU) was founded in 1981, only a dozen years after the Stonewall rebellion and only a couple of years...
Struggle and Success – Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ Communities
Explore the historical and ongoing struggle for equality and dignity in Sacramento’s LGBTQ+ communities through regional perspectives and...
2000s to Today—A Nation in Reflection
WITF Music Presents: Country Music in Pennsylvania
Explore the roots of country music in PA with untold regional stories of the state’s role in the creation of a uniquely American form. Plus, explore how the genre is thriving and inspiring a new generation of musicians and fans.
Ahead of America 250, the Smithsonian is creating a time capsule of hopes and wishes for the next 50 years
The Civic Season Pavilion inside the Smithsonian National Museum of American History features a 28-foot mural inviting visitors to add their wish for America’s future, as we approach the U.S. 250th birthday. The letters will be collected into a time capsule and stored in the Smithsonian archives to be opened in 2075. Education resources available at https://www.pbs.org/newshour/classroom/daily-news-lessons/2025/07/the-smithsonian-is-creating-a-time-capsule-of-hopes-and-wishes
What the U.S. has accomplished in 250 years of innovation and what’s next
President Donald Trump went to Iowa on Thursday to start the countdown to the nation’s 250th Independence Day next year. To mark the anniversary, the nonpartisan Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress is looking at 250 years of U.S. innovation. John Yang speaks with Glenn Nye, the center’s president and CEO, about the project. Education resources available at https://www.pbs.org/newshour/classroom/daily-news-lessons/2025/07/what-the-us-has-accomplished-in-250-yea
America? Reflections on 250 years
NWPB traveled across Washington state to ask everyday people what the American Revolution—and America today—mean to them. Released to accompany the new documentary series, The American Revolution, this short documentary invites viewers interested in history, politics, and community to explore how “We the People” define America—its food, its freedoms, its contradictions, and its promise.
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