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Clearing the Air: The War on Smog
August 26, 2025
In 1943, dark, smoky clouds enveloped Los Angeles, causing residents to complain of burning eyes, nausea, and difficulty breathing. The source of the smog was a mystery. CLEARING THE AIR: THE WAR ON SMOG is the story of the epic struggle for clean air, involving years of scientific study and civic pressure that would lead to the creation of the EPA and the Clean Air Act. From AMERICAN EXPERIENCE.
TV Schedule
Full Episodes
Mr. Polaroid
S37E3
The story of Edwin Land, whose iconic Polaroid camera let everyone instantly chronicle their...
Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act
S37E2
The dramatic story of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990.
Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP
S37E1
The story of one of the most influential yet forgotten civil rights figures, Walter White....
American Coup: Wilmington 1898
S36E7
The little-known story of the deadly 1898 race massacre and coup d’etat in Wilmington, NC....
The American Vice President
S36E6
A look at the US vice presidency, from constitutional afterthought to position of political...
The Riot Report
S36E5
When US inner cities erupted in violence in 1967, LBJ created a commission to investigate....
Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy at Love Canal
S36E4
The story of housewives who led a grassroots movement to galvanize the Superfund Bill.
The Cancer Detectives
S36E3
The untold story of the people who fought tirelessly to save women from cervical cancer.
Fly with Me
S36E2
The lively but neglected history of the women who changed the world while flying it.
Nazi Town, USA
S36E1
The story of the German American Bund, a pro-Nazi group active across the US in the 1930s....
The Harvest: Integrating Mississippi's Schools
S35E8
The story of a Mississippi town’s effort to integrate its public schools in 1970.
The Busing Battleground
S35E7
Revisit 1970s Boston, when court-mandated school integration unleashed racial unrest.
Casa Susanna
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Casa Susanna was a refuge for transgender women and cross-dressing men in the 1950s-60s.
The Sun Queen
S35E5
Unsung scientist Mária Telkes dedicated her career to harnessing the power of the sun.
The Movement and the "Madman"
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Discover the story of the 1969 showdown between President Nixon and the antiwar movement.
Ruthless: Monopoly's Secret History
S35E3
Discover the unexpected history behind Monopoly, America’s favorite board game.
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