Thirteen/WNET: Umoja!

FINDING THE WAY HOME -- SPIRITUALLY AND GEOGRAPHICALLY -- IS A CENTRAL THEME OF THIRTEEN'S UMOJA! FESTIVAL, CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH A LINEUP OF SPECIAL PROGRAMS IN FEBRUARY

A traditional African proverb beckons, "Return to old watering holes for more than water; friends and dreams are there to meet you." It's an intriguing and compelling invitation.

Going home, literally and figuratively, is a central theme of Thirteen's UMOJA! festival, celebrating the history, heritage, and contributions of African Americans throughout February, Black History Month. UMOJA! covers a range of subjects, from explorations of ancestral pasts, to civil rights, to achievements in the arts and sciences. The annual UMOJA! festival runs from Sunday, February 3 through Tuesday, February 26, 2008 on public television station Thirteen.

The centerpiece of this year's UMOJA! lineup is the premiere of AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2, Wednesdays, February 6 and 13 at 9 p.m., the latest series hosted by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. to journey deep into the African-American experience, uncovering the triumphs and tragedies within the family histories of renowned participants. Genealogical investigations, including DNA research and powerful storytelling are at the heart of the series, which features Maya Angelou, Don Cheadle, Morgan Freeman, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Tom Joyner, Chris Rock, and Tina Turner, among others. The series also traces the lineage of a non-celebrity, Kathleen Henderson, who was selected from more than 2,000 applicants.

Additional UMOJA! premieres include PRINCE AMONG SLAVES, Monday, February 4 at 10 p.m., the true story of an African prince who survived 40 years of enslavement in America before finally regaining his freedom and returning to Africa. GREAT RAILWAY JOURNEYS: "St. Louis to Dogon Country With Danny Glover," Friday, February 8 at 10 p.m., takes viewers aboard the Bamako Express, Africa's oldest line, through Senegal into Mali. REEL 13, Thirteen's new Saturday night movie lineup, features "Boesman and Lena" on Saturday, February 16 at midnight. Danny Glover and Angela Bassett star in this extraordinary and truly cinematic adaptation of Athol Fugard's classic play about the devastating effects of racism on the human spirit. INDEPENDENT LENS: "Banished," Friday, February 22 at 10 p.m., tells the story of three counties that violently expelled African-American families from their towns a century ago and follows the descendants as they return to learn a shocking history. JOE LOUIS: THE BOXER WHO BEAT HITLER, Monday, February 25 at 10 p.m., looks at the life and career of a stellar athlete who rose to national celebrity for his tremendous skill and boxing and as a role model for breaking down barriers faced by black athletes in sports.

Also being presented as part of Thirteen's UMOJA! festival is a particularly compelling edition of TONY BROWN'S JOURNAL. On Saturday, February 23 at 11 a.m., veteran broadcaster Tony Brown sits down for a rare interview with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who came to national prominence during his controversial 1991 confirmation hearings.

Thirteen looks at the journey of black Americans who have sought justice, power and identity, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s, in an encore presentation of a landmark series that originally aired in 1990. EYES ON THE PRIZE II, Sundays, February 10, 17 and 24 at 12 noon, recalls the efforts of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., among many others, and examines the profound effect the civil rights movement had on all Americans.

Thirteen/WNET New York is one of the key program providers for public television, bringing such acclaimed series as NATURE, GREAT PERFORMANCES, AMERICAN MASTERS, CHARLIE ROSE, RELIGION & ETHICS NEWSWEEKLY, WIDE ANGLE, SECRETS OF THE DEAD, NOW WITH DAVID BRANCACCIO, and CYBERCHASE -- as well as the work of Bill Moyers -- to audiences nationwide. As the flagship public broadcaster in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut metro area, Thirteen reaches millions of viewers each week, airing the best of American public television along with its own local productions such as The Ethnic Heritage Specials, THE THIRTEEN WALKING TOURS, NEW YORK VOICES, and REEL NEW YORK. Thirteen extends the impact of its television productions through educational and community outreach projects -- including the Celebration of Teaching and Learning -- as well as Web sites and other digital media platforms. More information can be found at: www.thirteen.org..

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