This Film Became a Movement | W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel with a Cause Premieres on PBS

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🎙️ Episode 13 This Film Became a Movement | W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel with a Cause Premieres on PBS After more than four years of research, interviews, travel, fundraising, collaboration, and faith, W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel with a Cause premieres nationally on PBS. In this special episode, Rita Coburn reflects on the journey of bringing this documentary to life and the overwhelming response from audiences across the country. From Los Angeles and Cleveland to Atlanta, New York, Santa Monica, Chicago, and Memphis, this film has sparked something larger than a documentary screening. It has become a movement. This episode explores why the work and warnings of W.E.B. Du Bois remain urgent today. As conversations around democracy, voting rights, citizenship, history, and Black identity continue to shape the national landscape, Du Bois’s message speaks directly into the present moment. Rita also reflects on the meaning of history, the importance of protecting truth, and why Black history is American history, international history, and Pan-African history. 🔍 What You’ll Hear in This Episode * The four-year journey behind W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel with a Cause * Audience reactions from screenings across the country * Why this documentary became more than a film * Connections between Du Bois, voting rights, and present-day democracy * The importance of the 14th and 15th Amendments * Why history continues to be contested and protected * How Du Bois used media, scholarship, and storytelling as tools for liberation * Why this moment calls for education, vigilance, and collective action 🧠 Key Themes * W.E.B. Du Bois and democracy * Voting rights and citizenship * Black history as American history * Pan-African identity and connection * Historical memory and resistance * Education and civic engagement * Art as cultural transformation 📣 Resources / Links W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause premieres on PBS Tuesday, May 19 at 8 PM CT/9 PM ET, and will be available to stream through June 16 on pbs.org/americanmasters [https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/?utm_source=chatgpt.com], the American Masters YouTube Channel, and the PBS app. 🎬 Upcoming Events https://www.ritacoburn.com/upcoming-events [https://www.ritacoburn.com/upcoming-events] 📸 Event Photos Download https://www.ritacoburn.com/event-photos [https://www.ritacoburn.com/event-photos] 📱 Social Media Tool Kit https://www.ritacoburn.com/social-media-tool-kit [https://www.ritacoburn.com/social-media-tool-kit] 🎬 Share the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kMsik6rDQM [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kMsik6rDQM] 📄 Transcript available here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2598323 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2598323] 📺 Watch here https://youtu.be/XSuCVNqwtLk 🎧 Listen here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2598323/episodes [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2598323/episodes] 🔗 Stay connected https://linktr.ee/ritacoburnmedia [https://linktr.ee/ritacoburnmedia] 🎬 About the Series Our Truth, Our History, Our Story (Our THS) explores the people, ideas, and cultural forces shaping Black history and storytelling today. 👥 Production Credits Host: Rita Coburn Executive Producer: Andrew T. Carr Producers: Christine Coburn Whack, H. Lee Whack

America 250, Juneteenth & the Obama Presidential Center | Reframing Independence

🎙️ EPISODE 19 America 250: Juneteenth & the Obama Presidential Center | Reframing Independence As America begins commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, it's worth asking a deeper question: What does independence mean—and who was included in it? In this episode of Our Truth, Our History, Our Story, Rita Coburn reflects on America's founding through the lens of African American history. From the symbolism of Juneteenth and the delayed freedom of June 19, 1865, to the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, Rita explores how our understanding of freedom continues to evolve. Drawing on history, current events, and her own experiences attending the opening of the Obama Presidential Center, Rita challenges listeners to think beyond celebration and toward responsibility. She reminds us that history belongs to all of us—and that preserving it requires action. This episode is an invitation to celebrate America's progress while embracing the fuller truth of our shared history and our ongoing work toward equality. 🔍 What You'll Hear in This Episode * Why America's 250th anniversary deserves a broader historical perspective * The relationship between July 4, 1776, and Juneteenth * Why the Declaration of Independence was adopted before the Revolutionary War was won * The significance of June 19, 1865, and General Order No. 3 * Reflections from the opening of the Obama Presidential Center * Michelle Obama's message of dignity, hope, and leadership * Why history must continually be reframed as new voices are included * The role of Black historians, journalists, and storytellers in preserving truth * Why supporting institutions like the NAACP and the Obama Presidential Center matters * How reading, learning, and civic engagement become acts of freedom 🧠 Key Themes * America 250 * Declaration of Independence * Juneteenth * July 4th * Obama Presidential Center * Barack Obama * Michelle Obama * Black history * W.E.B. Du Bois * NAACP * Civic engagement * Historical truth * Democracy * Hope * Freedom * Belonging 💬 A Defining Idea from This Episode "We can celebrate America's independence while also telling the fuller truth about who was—and wasn't—free." Understanding history isn't about diminishing the past. It's about expanding our understanding of it so that everyone can see themselves in the American story. 🇺🇸 Join the Conversation As America marks its 250th anniversary, how are you choosing to celebrate? What does freedom mean to you today? How has learning more about Black history changed your understanding of America's story? Share your thoughts in the comments or on social media using #OurTHS. History becomes richer when more voices are part of the conversation. 📣 Resources / Links Watch THS episode https://youtu.be/eu5WXFg87FA Learn more about the Obama Presidential Center https://www.obama.org/presidential-center/ [https://www.obama.org/presidential-center/] Learn more about the NAACP https://naacp.org [https://naacp.org/] Watch: Stacey Abrams, Errin Haines, Tressie McMillan Cottom, and others discuss July 4, 2026, as a Declaration of Belonging https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ8dVYOCVCD/ [https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ8dVYOCVCD/] Read the Declaration of Independence https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript [https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript] Learn more about Juneteenth https://nmaahc.si.edu [https://nmaahc.si.edu/] Watch W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel with a Cause https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/w-e-b-du-bois-documentary/34807/ [https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/w-e-b-du-bois-documentary/34807/] Watch Our Truth, Our History, Our Story on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ritacoburn9240 [https://www.youtube.com/@ritacoburn9240] Listen to the podcast https://www.buzzsprout.com/2598323/episodes [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2598323/episodes] Transcript available here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2598323 [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2598323] Stay connected with Rita Coburn https://linktr.ee/ritacoburnmedia [https://linktr.ee/ritacoburnmedia] Upcoming events and screenings https://www.ritacoburn.com/upcoming-events [https://www.ritacoburn.com/upcoming-events] Download event photos https://www.ritacoburn.com/event-photos [https://www.ritacoburn.com/event-photos] Social Media Toolkit https://www.ritacoburn.com/social-media-tool-kit [https://www.ritacoburn.com/social-media-tool-kit] 📚 Suggested Reading If this episode inspires you to explore America's history through a broader lens, here are a few books I recommend: 📚 The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story — Nikole Hannah-Jones 📚 The Souls of Black Folk — W.E.B. Du Bois 📚 Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul — Eddie S. Glaude Jr. 📚 Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own — Eddie S. Glaude Jr. 📚 The Battle for the Black Mind — Karida L. Brown 📚 The New Brownies' Book: A Love Letter to Black Families — Charly Palmer & Karida L. Brown Your local library is one of the best places to begin. Reading broadly and supporting Black authors, historians, and journalists is one of the most meaningful ways we can preserve, deepen, and share our understanding of history. 🎬 About the Series Our Truth, Our History, Our Story (Our THS) explores the people, ideas, and cultural forces shaping Black history and storytelling. Hosted by award-winning filmmaker Rita Coburn, the series features conversations and reflections that connect our past to the present while inspiring a deeper understanding of our shared humanity. 👥 Production Credits Host: Rita Coburn Executive Producer: Andrew T. Carr Producers: Christine Coburn Whack, H. Lee Whack Produced by RCW Media Productions, Inc. © 2026 RCW Media Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

29. juni 202612 min

This Film Became a Movement | W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel with a Cause Premieres on PBS

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