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American Masters, committed to producing comprehensive film biographies about the broad cast of characters who comprise our cultural history.
Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo...
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Why Atsuko Okatsuka’s Comedy Connects Across Cultures
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Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka returns to the show to talk about her creative process. (30m)
Stankface Standing Soldier: The Rise of Mato Wayuhi
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Watch as Oglala Lakota musician Mato Wayuhi draws on ancestral knowledge to inform his process. (16m 11s)
Warren King: King of Cardboard
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Follow Warren King as he transforms cardboard into intricate sculptures. (15m 40s)
Aliah Irvine & Kehau Kapua’a: Kukulu
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Follow Aliah and Kehau as they take on the male-dominated practice of building Hawaiian hale. (17m 19s)
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Poet Cindy Tran found her voice on Yelp and writes about family, identity and belonging. (16m 11s)
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Trumpeter Lani B. Supreme carries forward a musical legacy that transcends generations. (12m 38s)
Hannah Mayree: Songs of Reclamation
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Musician Hannah Mayree organizes workshops and performances celebrating the banjo's Black history. (16m 20s)
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Follow Sudanese musician and ethnomusicologist Alsarah as she leads Alsarah and the Nubatones. (17m 36s)
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Artist Ani Liu creates provocative artifacts at the intersection of art, science and technology. (16m 15s)
Maryam Taghavi: Estranged Letters
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An Iranian-American artist’s work uses abstracted Persian calligraphy to signify migration. (15m 4s)
Edel Rodriguez: Freedom is a Verb
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Discover this portrait of the Cuban-American graphic artist and graphic novelist Edel Rodriguez. (17m 14s)
House of Aama: Threads of Legacy
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Explore the creative process and familial narrative behind acclaimed fashion label House of Aama. (15m)
Norman Teague: Love Reigns Supreme
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Follow furniture maker and conceptual artist Norman Teague as he prepares for a solo exhibition. (16m 23s)
![Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call [Extended Audio Description]](https://image.pbs.org/video-assets/Wwmdfxp-asset-mezzanine-16x9-k1eBsGk.jpg?format=avif&resize=316x177)
Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call [Extended Audio Description]
Follow Danielle Scott as she makes art that explores the wretched pain and beauty of her ancestors. (17m 34s)
![Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call [ASL]](https://image.pbs.org/video-assets/jSlolBV-asset-mezzanine-16x9-TAtGgRm.jpg?format=avif&resize=316x177)
Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call [ASL]
Video has Closed Captions
Follow Danielle Scott as she makes art that explores the wretched pain and beauty of her ancestors. (15m 44s)
Danielle Scott: Ancestral Call
Video has Closed Captions
Follow Danielle Scott as she makes art that explores the wretched pain and beauty of her ancestors. (15m 44s)
![Gioncarlo Valentine: Exposures [Extended Audio Description]](https://image.pbs.org/video-assets/DAztL65-asset-mezzanine-16x9-a7VdmbE.jpg?format=avif&resize=316x177)
Gioncarlo Valentine: Exposures [Extended Audio Description]
Photographer Gioncarlo Valentine documents intimacy as a radical act of self-exploration. (21m 27s)
![Gioncarlo Valentine: Exposures [ASL]](https://image.pbs.org/video-assets/qFTULQM-asset-mezzanine-16x9-G8NpOsV.jpg?format=avif&resize=316x177)
Gioncarlo Valentine: Exposures [ASL]
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Photographer Gioncarlo Valentine documents intimacy as a radical act of self-exploration. (18m 13s)
Gioncarlo Valentine: Exposures
Video has Closed Captions
Photographer Gioncarlo Valentine documents intimacy as a radical act of self-exploration. (18m 13s)
![Sarah Thankam Mathews: After All This [Extended Audio Description]](https://image.pbs.org/video-assets/IND5Jl2-asset-mezzanine-16x9-aX2Qnlf.jpg?format=avif&resize=316x177)
Sarah Thankam Mathews: After All This [Extended Audio Description]
Follow author Sarah Thankam Mathews as pressure mounts to follow up her acclaimed debut novel. (17m 58s)
![Sarah Thankam Mathews: After All This [ASL]](https://image.pbs.org/video-assets/V0cukDW-asset-mezzanine-16x9-1yXcVc1.jpg?format=avif&resize=316x177)
Sarah Thankam Mathews: After All This [ASL]
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Follow author Sarah Thankam Mathews as pressure mounts to follow up her acclaimed debut novel. (15m 37s)
Sarah Thankam Mathews: After All This
Video has Closed Captions
Follow author Sarah Thankam Mathews as pressure mounts to follow up her acclaimed debut novel. (15m 38s)
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Follow the Broadway choreographer as she elevates the possible with bold explorations of movement. (15m 25s)
![Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps [ASL]](https://image.pbs.org/video-assets/qoEwy0z-asset-mezzanine-16x9-93mDYAm.jpg?format=avif&resize=316x177)
Camille A. Brown: Giant Steps [ASL]
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Follow the Broadway choreographer as she elevates the possible with bold explorations of movement. (15m 25s)
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David Bacharach creates "The Mounds," a land art installation confronting climate change. (18m 39s)
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A Japanese American rapper discovers how art can champion cultural liberation. (14m 8s)
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Discover Augusta Savage's legacy as a Harlem Renaissance sculptor and art activist. (21m 48s)
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Chef Ethan Lim creates vibrant dishes inspired by the rich, complex history of Cambodia. (16m 42s)
Senghor Reid: Make Way For Tomorrow
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Artist Senghor Reid draws inspiration from current events and his hometown of Detroit. (13m 4s)
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Caribbean-American D.J. Walshy Fire electrifies audiences with dancehall-inspired beats. (10m 25s)
Alejandro Jimenez: The Ground I Stand On
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A lyrical exploration of the life and work of Mexican-American poet Alejandro Jimenez. (12m)
Jonathan Thunder: Good Mythology
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Ojibwe artist Jonathan Thunder explores the mythic inspirations of his surrealist work. (14m 11s)
Sydney G. James: How We See Us
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Artist Sydney G. James’ bold brush strokes address racial injustice in her native Detroit. (15m 33s)
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Native American actress Lily Gladstone reflects on her origins and acting in Hollywood. (13m 51s)
Gladys Bentley: Drag King of the Harlem Renaissance
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Gladys Bentley was a musician and drag king who was a part of the Harlem Renaissance. (5m 57s)
Julian Eltinge: Female Impersonator of the Vaudeville Era
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Julian Eltinge was a female impersonator who was once America's highest paid performer. (4m 45s)
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Accessible Episodes
These episodes of American Masters feature enhanced accessibility.
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Creative Spark
How do today’s masters create their art? Go in-depth with an iconic artist about their process.
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In The Making | Season 4
Meet emerging cultural icons on their journeys to becoming masters of their artistic disciplines.
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American Masters Shorts | Season 1
Explore new documentary shorts about artists who defy the odds to create remarkable work.
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In The Making | Season 2
Meet seven artists whose work explores and influences American culture today.
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In The Making | Season 3
Meet eight cultural icons on their journeys to becoming masters of their artistic disciplines.
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Masters of Drag
NYC's sweetest drag diva Peppermint tells the story of pioneering American drag artists.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipHow to Watch American Masters
American Masters is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, LG TV, and Vizio.
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A front row seat to the creative process
How do today’s masters create their art? Each episode an artist reveals how they brought their creative work to life. Hear from artists across disciplines, like actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, singer-songwriter Jewel, author Min Jin Lee, and more on our podcast "American Masters: Creative Spark."
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Support for American Masters is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AARP, Rosalind P. Walter Foundation, Judith and Burton Resnick, Blanche and Hayward Cirker Charitable Lead Annuity Trust, Koo...