PBS NewsHour - Art Beat

When asked what sort of government the United States had, Benjamin Franklin famously said, "A republic, if you can keep it." Like many, columnist Sophia Nelson has been wondering how well we have kept it. Her new book, "Redefining Freedom," seeks to answer that question and provide recommendations for how we can adapt America's founding principles. Ali Rogin sat down with Nelson to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Author Soman Chainani is best known for his young adult series, "The School for Good and Evil," which went on to become a hugely popular movie on Netflix. Chainani's latest book, "Young World," is a political thriller about a teenager who becomes president. Amna Nawaz spoke with Chainani for our "Settle In" podcast and discussed the political realities for young people in America today. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Historian and Pulitzer Prize winner Ada Ferrer has spent her career exploring history, identity and memory. In her new book, "Keeper of My Kin," she turns inward, tracing her own family story across generations, while examining the larger forces that shaped Cuba and the U.S. alike. Geoff Bennett spoke with her about her family history and the stories that families choose to carry forward. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Two Russians who left their country after the invasion of Ukraine and are now rebuilding their lives and careers in the U.S. Senior Arts Correspondent Jeffrey Brown reports on a recent production in New York for our Art in Action series, exploring how art and democracy shape one another, as part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Soman Chainani's young adult novel series, "The School for Good & Evil," has sold more than 4.5 million copies around the globe and became a hugely popular Netflix movie. In the latest episode of Settle In, he joins Amna Nawaz to talk about what's changing for young people right now — and how to engage them in both reading and the political process. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Three doctors, two poets and a fiction writer walk into a windowless hospital conference room. Not the start of a joke, but of a prestigious journal, "Bellevue Literary Review", now celebrating its 25th anniversary. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown reports for our ongoing coverage of the intersection of health and arts, part of our CANVAS series. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

"The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons" is an ancient Japanese folktale about supernatural beings taking over the night. At an art museum in Boston, artist Masako Miki is bringing the tale into a colorful and even cuddly present-day. Jared Bowen of GBH Boston takes us there for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Food can be about comfort, craft or culture, but in Brigid Washington's new memoir, it's about survival. Her book traces her unlikely journey into the culinary world, one marked by loss, uncertainty and questions of identity. Geoff Bennett speaks with Washington about "Salt, Sweat & Steam" for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Ted Turner, the founder of CNN, died on Wednesday at the age of 87. A risk-taking entrepreneur known for his outspoken style, Turner revolutionized how billions across the world consumed the news and created the first 24-hour news network. Judy Woodruff has this remembrance. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Douglas Stuart won the 2020 Booker Prize for his debut novel "Shuggie Bain," about a boy in 1980s Glasgow caring for his mother struggling with alcoholism. His latest novel "John of John," out today, follows a young man returning to his hometown on a rural Scottish island and grappling with his identity, religion and father. Geoff Bennett spoke with Stuart for our "Settle In" podcast. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Renowned trumpeter and composer Wynton Marsalis has launched a new project, a kind of call and response for these times. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown met Marsalis at the Jazz at Lincoln Center, for our series Art in Action, exploring the intersection of art and democracy, part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Douglas Stuart won the coveted Booker Prize in 2020 for his debut novel, "Shuggie Bain," about a boy in 1980s working-class Glasgow caring for his mother as she struggled with alcoholism. Geoff Bennett spoke to Stuart about his latest book, "John of John," which follows a young man as he returns to his home in the islands off the coast of Scotland. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel, and the war in Gaza that followed, have left countless families grappling with profound loss. Two men, one Israeli, the other Palestinian, tell the story of their unexpected journey toward understanding and reconciliation in a new book, "The Future is Peace." Ali Rogin speaks with them to learn more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In 2004, Nick Yarris walked out of a Pennsylvania prison after 22 years on death row. His was the first death row case in Pennsylvania overturned by DNA evidence. His wrongful conviction is now the focus of the new play "The Fear of 13." It stars Adrien Brody and Tessa Thompson in their Broadway debuts. Jeffrey Brown spoke with them for our Art in Action series, as part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Retired Navy Adm. William McRaven served for nearly four decades in a highly decorated career, from Navy SEAL to commander of the Joint Special Operations Command. He is also widely known for his 2014 speech, "Make Your Bed." More of his speeches are collected in "Duty, Honor, Country & Life: A Tribute to the American Spirit." McRaven joined Amna Nawaz to discuss the new book. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

It's a lesser-known chapter of the Holocaust, the murder of some 500,000 Roma and Sinti people, members of a long-marginalized and often persecuted minority in Europe. One way into that history is through the work of an artist who survived it herself. Jeffrey Brown reports for our Art in Action series, which explores the intersection of art and democracy as part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Scott Rinckenberger is a photographer from North Bend, Washington, who shares his passion for the natural world and highlights how trees that were logged more than a century ago can be surprising sources of inspiration and hope. Julinna Wu of our journalism training program, PBS News Student Reporting Labs, has the story. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Comedian Dave Chappelle sits down with Amna Nawaz in Yellow Springs, Ohio, for a wide-ranging discussion on his concerns around free speech, the importance of local journalism and why he doesn't regret his controversial decision to perform last year in Saudi Arabia. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Unless courts intervene, the Kennedy Center will shut down this July for two years, as part of a roughly $250 million renovation. In the lead-up, there's been a wave of layoffs and a controversial rebranding by President Trump's allies. Josef Palermo was among those laid off and wrote "What I Saw Inside the Kennedy Center" for The Atlantic. Palermo joined Geoff Bennett to discuss more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

For more than 25 years, comedian Dave Chappelle has called the small village of Yellow Springs, Ohio, home. Amna Nawaz traveled there to meet with Chappelle and understand why he's invested millions of dollars into this community, and why he believes the local public media station is crucial to the town's future. It's part of our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Like countless powerful women throughout history, Queen Elizabeth II was routinely dismissed and underestimated. But during her 70-year reign, she managed the strategic relationship between the UK and the U.S., meeting with thirteen sitting presidents. Geoff Bennett spoke with Susan Page, who traces this and more in her new book, "The Queen and Her Presidents: The Hidden Hand That Shaped History." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The origin of Paddington is one worth noting on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Michael Bond recalled seeing Jewish children arriving in Britain during World War II with name cards around their necks and suitcases in their hands. That inspired the beloved bear, and a Rhode Island artist is helping to keep the story alive. Ocean State Media's Pamela Watts reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

More than a decade ago, Lena Dunham rose to fame as the comedic force behind HBO's hit series, "Girls." In her new memoir, "Famesick," Dunham candidly, hilariously, and sometimes painfully, explores how she balanced her sudden celebrity with chronic illness, addiction and trauma. Amna Nawaz spoke with Dunham on our PBS news podcast, "Settle In." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Lena Dunham rapidly rose to fame more than a decade ago as the comedic force behind HBO's breakout hit, 'Girls.' In a new memoir, Dunham candidly, hilariously, and sometimes painfully explores how she balanced celebrity with her struggles with chronic illness, addiction, and trauma. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The media industry has been navigating substantial turmoil in recent years. On our PBS news podcast, "Settle In," Geoff Bennett explored this upheaval with Evan Shapiro. He's an award-winning producer who now writes about the industry for his Substack, "Media War and Peace." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Steppenwolf Theatre Company has long been one of the nation's most influential ensemble companies. It's known for the actors it has launched and the groundbreaking work it has produced. It's marking its 50th season at a moment of real uncertainty for theaters. Jeffrey Brown traveled to Chicago for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Actor and comedian Lyric Lewis discovered her love of performance through improv. She went on to make history as one of the first Black women in The Groundlings, the Los Angeles troupe celebrating its 50th anniversary. She reflects on finding her authentic voice in comedy and gives her Brief But Spectacular take on why life is a play. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Patrick Radden Keefe is the author behind bestsellers like "Say Nothing" and "Empire of Pain." The New Yorker staff writer's latest book, "London Falling," is about the mysterious 2019 death of teenager Zac Brettler. The book details Brettler's secret life, posing as the son of a Russian oligarch, navigating London's dark underworld. Keefe sat down with Amna Nawaz on our podcast, Settle In. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Award-winning New Yorker staff writer Patrick Radden Keefe is the author behind best sellers like "Say Nothing" and "Empire of Pain." His latest book, "London Falling," is a deep dive into the mysterious death of a teenager – and the secret life that came to light after he was gone. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In eastern Kentucky, the heritage of folk and traditional music, rooted in instruments like guitars, mandolins and dulcimers, is deeply seated. There's an effort to capitalize on this rich culture while providing a fresh start for people in addiction recovery. Jeffrey Brown has the story for our look at the intersection of art and health for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In 2020, Gisèle Pelicot was called to a police station and life as she knew it ended. She learned that her husband had been drugging and raping her and inviting strangers to abuse her for nearly a decade. The case led to a reckoning about sexual abuse and revealed the power of one woman's voice. Amna Nawaz sat down with Pelicot to discuss her book, "A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Wendy Red Star is a multimedia artist who grew up on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana. Her work spans photography, sculpture, fiber arts and performance to celebrate Native identity and remind us why art matters in how we're remembered. She shares her Brief But Spectacular take on channeling identity through art. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Earlier this month, the Kennedy Center board approved the president's plan to close the center for two years. The Washington National Opera had already announced it was leaving, one of the most consequential developments in a year of turmoil. Jeffrey Brown reports for our Art in Action series, exploring the intersection of art and democracy, part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Beka Ntsanwisi is working to empower older women in South Africa, where the average life expectancy is in the early to mid-60s. She started a soccer league with a mission to introduce women over 50 to the sport. Ntsanwisi shares her Brief But Spectacular take on empowering 'soccer grannies.' PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Leading cultural and architectural preservation organizations asked a federal court to stop the Trump administration from proceeding with its Kennedy Center reconstruction project. It's the latest development in a fight over the look and architecture of the nation's capital, and the power of the presidency. Jeffrey Brown reports for our series, Art in Action, as part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In the 1990s, a remarkable wave of Black sitcoms and sketch comedy reshaped American television. Shows like "In Living Color" and "Living Single" reflected a wide range of Black life and helped broaden how millions of viewers understood Black experiences. That moment, and the long history that helped make it possible, are at the core of Geoff Bennett's new book, "Black Out Loud." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

What sparked the explosion of Black sitcoms in the 1990s, and why didn't it last? Those are some of the questions PBS News Hour co-anchor Geoff Bennett explores in his new book, "Black Out Loud: The Revolutionary History of Black Comedy from Vaudeville to '90s Sitcoms." He joins Amna Nawaz for a special episode of Settle In. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The Trump administration's immigration crackdown has ignited protests nationwide. It has also galvanized grassroots artists and community organizations. Jeffrey Brown reports from Chicago, where artists have been at the center of the movement, using their skills and resources as part of organized dissent. It's part of our series, Art in Action, as part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Edgar Ramirez is an LA-based artist who transforms street signs. Inspired by the industrial landscape where he grew up, he turns the signs into striking pieces of art that highlight the realities of his community. He shares his Brief But Spectacular take on the signs of exploitation. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Neon signs aren't as ubiquitous as they once were, but the artistry has been receiving renewed appreciation. Wil Kirkman was well-known for his ability to make and repair intricate and fragile glass lights. Kirkman died of cancer last year, but Marcia Franklin of Idaho Public Television got the chance to see him at work before his passing and reports for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

Dealing with grief and trauma can look different for everyone, and a group in Miami has found an unconventional way of helping people cope. Alessandro de Palma of Student Reporting Labs, the PBS News journalism training program, has the story. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

The new documentary "Immutable" follows students in the Washington Urban Debate League over two years as they face challenges in their own lives and on the debate stage. In the program, students learn how to think critically, challenge their own opinions and find their voices through debate. Geoff Bennett spoke with the people connected to the film for a closer look. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy