American Masters

Learn about Elie Wiesel, Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace Prize-winning author of Night. After his internment at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp and liberation from Buchenwald, Wiesel became a journalist in France before immigrating to America. Over the course of his life, Wiesel fought the “sin of indifference” by writing, teaching, speaking truth to power and championing for human rights.

Discover the extraordinary life of poet, philosopher and music visionary Sun Ra. With his ever-evolving collective, the Sun Ra Arkestra, he self-produced more than 200 albums, stretching the boundaries of jazz.

Follow the meteoric rise of firebrand politician and activist Bella Abzug. Considered one of the first feminists to be elected to Congress, her commitment to women’s rights and progressive causes upended the status quo in Washington. This version of the film contains extended audio description.

Explore the life and legacy of notable Black scholar and civil rights pioneer W.E.B. Du Bois. From his birth, just five years after the Emancipation Proclamation; to his death, on the eve of the March on Washington in 1963, his legacy as an activist continues to resonate today.

Celebrate the life and career of Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Mary Oliver. Shaped by a solitary childhood and rising literary fame, Oliver published more than 30 collections of poetry and essays on nature, beauty, and love.