WCTE PBS will celebrate Black History Month with an expanded new slate of programming, specials, and digital content, shining a spotlight on the diversity of people, stories, and experiences in the Black community.

Highlights include: 

FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. (Season 11)
Premieres: Tuesdays, Jan. 7 – Feb. 25 and April 1 – 8, 8 p.m. ET
Renowned scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. returns for a new season of FINDING YOUR ROOTS. Using genealogy and DNA analysis, Gates guides twenty compelling guests into their family trees, uncovering buried secrets and lost ancestors.

GREAT MIGRATIONS: A PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
Premieres: Tuesdays, Jan. 28 – Feb. 18, 9 p.m. ET
GREAT MIGRATIONS: A PEOPLE ON THE MOVE, new four-hour series hosted by Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., explores how a series of Black migrations have shaped the U.S. From waves of Black Americans to the North—and back South—to immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean, movement is a defining feature of the Black experience.

AMERICAN MASTERS “The Disappearance of Miss Scott”
Premieres: Friday, Feb. 21, 9 p.m. ET
This feature documentary will spotlight Hazel Scott, the most famous jazz virtuoso of her time and the first African American to have her own television show. A champion for racial equality before what we now consider to be the civil rights movement, Scott’s bright star dimmed when she was caught up in the Red Scare of the 1950s and refused to back down, testifying in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee to defend herself and her colleagues, and was blacklisted as a result.

INDEPENDENT LENS “Bike Vessel”
Premieres: Monday, Feb. 24, 10 p.m. ET
Knowing his dad miraculously recovered from three open-heart surgeries after discovering a passion for cycling, filmmaker Eric D. Seals proposes an ambitious idea: Bike together from St. Louis to Chicago. 350 miles. 4 days. On their journey, the two push each other as they find a deeper connection and a renewed appreciation of their quests for their own health and to reimagine Black health. 

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE  “Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP”
Premieres: Tuesday, Feb. 25, 9 p.m. ET 
Meet Walter White, the NAACP’s longtime leader and one of the most influential but least known figures in civil rights history. Under his leadership, the NAACP paved the way for Black power at the ballot box and scored important legal victories.

Additional programming, including encore specials, will be available to stream on PBS.org and the PBS app. 

Alongside PBS’s linear broadcast schedule, THE BLOCK PARTY, an online community gathering to celebrate Black stories featured in documentaries and programs, returns for a fourth consecutive year. Audiences can also watch web series and other digital content on the Black History Month YouTube playlists by PBS Digital Studios and  THE BLOCK PARTY, including:

Storied: Literary Icons You NEED to Know From the Harlem Renaissance (feat. Princess Weekes) | It's Lit

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE | PBS: Civil Rights in the Sky: The woman who paved the way for Black flight attendants

Say It Loud: Where Are You REALLY From? Black Migrations and Immigration, Explained

PBS Voices: Exploring the Revolutionary Legacy of Black River Baptisms

PBS LearningMedia is a free educational resource that includes curriculum-aligned videos, interactives, lesson plans, and more for educators nationwide. Each year, PBS LearningMedia provides a curated Black History Month collection to showcase Black excellence through contributions, achievements, and ideas across subjects and eras.

LYLA IN THE LOOP
Premieres: Monday, Feb. 3 on PBS KIDS
“Lyla Gets a Grip / Rappin' Riddles”
With the help of Everett and Ale, Lyla overcomes her fear of rock-climbing. / The twins get Lyla and Ev's help to improve their riddle game about everyday objects made by Black inventors. 

“The Artist Formerly Known as Liana / Jamaica Day”
Liana accidentally submits art that Stu made, and she feels guilty taking the credit for Stu’s work. / Lyla and Luke perform an "Anansi" folktale puppet show for a Jamaica Day celebration in the neighborhood.

“Runaway Tarantula / Rainy Day, Indoor Play”
Ale wants to show the Loops her pet tarantula, but it keeps escaping, so Lyla and Ale make an escape-proof container. Lyla and her siblings are stuck inside because of rain and escape boredom by recreating park activities indoors.

“Miss Emmaline's Magic Trunk / Luke's Puppy”
Lyla figures out how to do a magic trick with clues from her neighbor, Miss Emmaline. / Luke finds a puppy and has to figure out what the puppy wants by watching and listening to it. 

XAVIER RIDDLE AND THE SECRET MUSEUM “I am Willard Wigan”
Premieres: Monday, Feb. 17 on PBS KIDS
Willard Wigan shows Yadina that slowing down can help her make friendship bracelets more carefully.

XAVIER RIDDLE AND THE SECRET MUSEUM “I am Jackie Robinson”
Premieres: Tuesday, Feb. 18 on PBS KIDS
Jackie Robinson shows Xavier that when something isn’t right, it takes courage to change it.