Playlist Culture
Culture
A Tree Grows in Wicker Park—on a PBS and WTTW Mural
A mural celebrating everyday Americans and the PBS series American Portrait, which features self-submitted videos and stories from across the country, has sprung up in Wicker Park.
A Contemporary Chicago Park Full of History
The Chicago Women's Park and Gardens contains a sculpture by a world-famous artist as well as two of Chicago's most important historic homes, including one that had to be relocated in complicated fashion over the L to get there.
A Sneak Peek at the New PBS KIDS Show 'Donkey Hodie'
A new puppet series inspired by Mister Rogers is coming soon to WTTW and PBS KIDS, featuring both new and reimagined characters and songs from Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.
Celebrate Women's History Month with WTTW in 2021
This March, celebrate Women's History Month with a variety of programming from WTTW featuring profiles of artistic women, looks into the past at trailblazers and rulers, stories of contemporary women working to reshape society, and more.
What to Watch in March
A St. Patrick's Day special to fill the hole of the cancelled parade, an investigation into the bias inherent in complex technological codes, a profile of Dr. Fauci, a look at an overlooked civil rights incident, and more.
Ken Burns and Lynn Novick on Hemingway's Childhood
Join a conversation between filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick along with Hemingway scholar Verna Kale and acclaimed author Tim O'Brien as they discuss Hemingway's childhood in Oak Park.
The First Bud Billiken
Willard Motley wrote stories for children in the Chicago Defender as the first "Bud Billiken" while he was a teen, then went on to write hardboiled novels about Chicago's down-and-out. But he was criticized for writing about white instead of Black characters.
Ernest Hemingway's Youth in Oak Park and Chicago
Hemingway was born in Oak Park but left as soon as he could and began framing himself in opposition to what he considered the middle-class values of the suburb. A sojourn in Chicago helped introduce him to a literary world and sent him on his way to Paris.
'Yes to PBS': PBS's New Head of Programming on Her Plans
"Being from a rural area, it was so important to have PBS and a public media presence,” says Sylvia Bugg, PBS's new head of programming. She discusses her vision and plans for PBS as she takes the helm in its 50th anniversary year.
A Reduced But Still Joyous Lunar New Year in Chicago
Neither Chinatown nor Asia on Argyle are hosting parades for the Lunar New Year on February 12, but they will still host COVID-19-safe celebrations. Learn about those and some Lunar New Year traditions here.
What to Watch in February
Celebrate stories of African American resilience, resistance, and culture, with documentaries about Marian Anderson, the Black church, a groundbreaking public television show, and more.
The Bold Architecture of Chicago's Black Churches
Discover some of Chicago's most architecturally extraordinary Black churches. "I think there's a conscious push to embrace the new," says architectural photographer and writer Lee Bey, "of throwing off the chains of the past."
Celebrate Black History Month with WTTW in 2021
This February, celebrate Black History Month with a variety of WTTW programming over air and online that explores African American history, stories in the larger African diaspora, and Black culture in America.
Five Ideas That Can Change the Conversation about Poverty
WTTW’s new digital series, FIRSTHAND: Living in Poverty, follows five people experiencing intergenerational poverty. As part of the FIRSTHAND Talks series, five experts offer their take on issues related to poverty. Here are some takeaways.
'Frontline' on America's Crisis of Democracy
Frontline aims to make sense of a calamitous moment in American democracy, focusing on the rise of conspiracy and Donald Trump's takeover of the Republican Party, while also examining Joe Biden's life to better understand how he will respond.
