Americans consider themselves a 'nation of immigrants', but as the catastrophe of the Holocaust unfolds in Europe, the U.S. prove unwilling to open its doors to more than a fraction of the hundreds of thousands of desperate refuge seekers. Through riveting firsthand testimony of witnesses and survivors who as children endured persecution, violence and flight as their families tried to escape Hitler, this three-part documentary series delves deeply into the tragic human consequences of public indifference, bureaucratic red tape and restrictive quota laws in America. Did the nation fail to live up to its ideals? This is a history to be reckoned with.

After World War I, Armistice Lloyd Hart goes back to practice law, former saloon keeper George Hally turns to bootlegging, and out-of-work Eddie Bartlett becomes a cab driver. Eddie builds a fleet of cabs through delivery of bootleg liquor and hires Lloyd as his lawyer. George becomes Eddie's partner and the rackets flourish until love and rivalry interfere.

Period music, film clips and newsreel footage combined into a visual exploration of the American entertainment industry during the Great Depression.

Robert Preston hosts this documentary that shows what people of the 1930s were watching as they were battling the Depression as well as eventually getting ready for another World War.

Documentary about personal life of Herbert Hoover's and his governmental career, profiles the former head of state's political philosophy, memorable election campaigns, Great Depression policies and more. Through interviews with scholars such as David Kennedy, Robert Reich and Tim Egan, this biography sheds new light on the underappreciated president's difficult tenure and enduring legacy.

Feature-length compilation of 1920s newsreel footage, with commentary about news, sports, lifestyles, and historical figures.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt is one of the most revered and influential Americans of this century. The subject of hundreds of books and countless plays, films, and television programs, he has become an icon for an entire generation. Until this definitive 4-hour documentary based on two books by senior creative consultant and FDR biographer Geoffrey Ward, the personal motivations and physical and emotional trails that marked his life remained elusive. By interviewing dozens of those who knew FDR or had chronicled his career, by uncovering rare and previously unseen footage of his public appearances and private life, and by weaving them together in a taut and compelling narrative beautifully read by David McCullough, writer/producer David Grubin presents the most complete account to date for Mr. Roosevelt. For this achievement, a Peabody Award was presented to David Grubin Productions and The American Experience for FDR.

In the 1920s, the rights of American workers to join a labor union was still considered an open question, and African-Americans were routinely denied their civil and economic rights. 10,000 Black Men Named George, the title, refers to the fact Pullman porters were often called "George" by white passengers, which was considered a racial slur.

A Washington Parade reel....

Just before the advent of the Great Depression, Henry Ford controlled the most important company in the most important industry in the booming American economy. His offer of high wages in exchange for hard work attracted workers to Detroit, but it began to come apart when Ford hired a private police force to speed up production and spy on employees. After the depression hit in 1929, these workers faced a new, grim reality as unemployment skyrocketed.

Based on eight years of continued prosperity, presidents and economists alike confidently predicted that America would soon enter a time when there would be no more poverty, no more depressions -- a "New Era" when everyone could be rich. But when reality finally struck, the consequences of such unbound optimism shocked the world.

The death of John Kennedy is viewed through another angle in this conspiracy-themed film defending the theory that George Herbert Walker Bush was a key player in all aspects of the assassination of American president John F. Kennedy.

Yesterday’s Newsreel offers the viewer “television highlights of the news of yesteryear” by providing vintage clips of famous people and events from the first half of the 20th century.

A special that takes a look inside the White House.

Presents the history of the U S from the inauguration of Franklin D Roosevelt to the eve of World War II, including the Great Depression and New Deal legislation designed to overcome it. Emphasizes events that had lasting effects on the nation, such as the Tennessee Valley Authority, the strengthening of organized labor and the growing power of the Federal government.. Continues the story of 20th century America from the inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt to the eve of World War II. Footage shows the Great Depression, strengthening of organized labor, Social Security Act and growing powers of the federal government.

The first major documentary about CALVIN COOLIDGE, the man Ronald Reagan called “one of our most underrated presidents." The year 1923 brought one of the most unusual presidential inaugurations in American history. Vice President Calvin Coolidge was asleep at his childhood home in rural Vermont when the news came in: President Warren Harding was dead. By candlelight, Coolidge’s own father, a notary public, administered the oath of office to the new president. A century later, Coolidge stands as perhaps America’s most misunderstood and unjustly neglected president. A landmark new documentary film changes that

Former First Lady Lou Hoover’s home movies may be the earliest color home movies ever taken at the White House. The reels provide glimpses into the Florida fishing trip taken by Herbert and Lou Hoover in late January 1929, when he was President-elect. This would be the last vacation before assuming the Presidency on March 4, 1929, and before the burdens of his office began to wear on the First Family. Other reels capture playful scenes of grandchildren and vacation trips of taken by the Hoovers’ sons, and touristy images of Washington, DC, historic sites. Scenes of the White House gardens reflect Mrs. Hoover’s concept for the exterior appearance of the garden plots. The final reel of film shows the first color images of President Hoover in his morning routine of tossing a medicine ball with others. This activity would eventually become the game known as Hooverball.