Up Next
Back to Show
American Experience
Testing Mankind's Limits
U.S. Air Force aviation doctor, John Paul Stapp, tested the limits of human physiology both on the ground and in near-space. Not satisfied with the accepted belief that 18 G's -- or 18 times the pull of gravity -- could kill a person, he set out to prove humans could survive acceleration and deceleration at rapid speeds and from dizzying heights. "Space Men" premieres March 1 at 9/8c on PBS.
Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
1:52:38
Revisit 1970s Boston, when court-mandated school integration unleashed racial unrest.
1:36:51
Casa Susanna was a refuge for transgender women and cross-dressing men in the 1950s-60s.
Unlock with PBS Passport
52:22
Unsung scientist Mária Telkes dedicated her career to harnessing the power of the sun.
1:22:39
Discover the story of the 1969 showdown between President Nixon and the antiwar movement.
Unlock with PBS Passport
52:17
Discover the unexpected history behind Monopoly, America’s favorite board game.
1:52:24
The influential author and anthropologist whose work reclaimed and honored Black life.
52:45
The story of the polygraph, the controversial device that transformed modern justice.
1:52:49
The Blinding of Isaac Woodard with Spanish subtitles.
1:52:23
How a horrific incident of racial violence became catalyst for the civil rights movement.
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:52:47
Part Two examines the mounting dispute over strategies and reveals the pervasive racism.
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:52:42
The fiery campaign that led to passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the vote.
1:53:12
The Eugenics Crusade tells the story of the campaign to breed a “better” American race,