Back to Show
American Masters
The Story Behind the Title of the Novel "The Bluest Eye"
In this excerpt from Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am, Toni Morrison recalls the time a Black childhood friend, who was 11 at the time, told her that she had been praying for blue eyes for two years. “This kind of racism hurts. This is not lynchings and murders and drownings. This is interior pain.” A film by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders.
Support Provided By
Season

1:36:59
Explore the career of cartoonist Art Spiegelman and his award-winning graphic novel Maus.

1:42:06
Take an intimate look into the life and career of screen and stage icon Liza Minnelli.

Unlock with PBS Passport
1:23:25
Learn about jazz artist Hazel Scott, the first Black American to have their own TV show.

Unlock with PBS Passport
52:55
Discover the life of singer Brenda Lee and her musical hits spanning genres and decades.

1:23:57
Explore the story of writer Julia Alvarez, who blazed a trail for a generation of Latino authors.

Unlock with PBS Passport
1:23:35
Explore the story of filmmaker Blake Edwards, known for his comedies like the "Pink Panther" series.

Unlock with PBS Passport
1:40:39
Discover the intellectual evolution and political legacy of William F. Buckley, Jr.

Unlock with PBS Passport
1:43:31
Discover the life and legacy of former U.S. Senator and diplomat Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

53:03
Discover the secrets behind Edward Hopper’s most iconic and enigmatic works.

54:31
El artista José Clemente Orozco (1883-1945) encabezó el movimiento muralista en México.

Unlock with PBS Passport
1:22:29
Experience the groundbreaking sounds of bebop pioneer and virtuoso composer Max Roach.

Unlock with PBS Passport
1:22:12
Trace the life and legacy of labor activist Cesar Chavez through music and the arts.