LIFE ON EARTH
ATTENBOROUGH’S GREATEST ADVENTURE
When you imagine a nature documentary, whose voice do you hear? The answer is likely Sir David Attenborough. The biologist, natural historian, and iconic television personality has been our guide through the living world — inspiring generations of viewers to learn about planet earth and how to appreciate and care for our home.
To celebrate Sir David’s 100th birthday, PBS presents Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure. The original 13-episode documentary, Life on Earth, was a landmark in wildlife filmmaking. The classic BBC series took Attenborough and his crew around the world over the course of three years to obtain footage of many creatures and behaviors for the first time.
Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure gives viewers a glimpse from behind the camera and features new interviews with Attenborough and the original production team. They reveal the highs and lows of filming the unprecedented leadoff series, which was created when global air travel and color filmmaking were in their infancy.
Yet, this was far from the crew’s only challenge. They ran upon a coup on the island nation of Comoros in southeastern Africa and met gunshots near the equator in Rwanda. Nevertheless, the cinematographers captured Attenborough’s astonishing encounter with mountain gorillas, which is considered one of the top TV moments of all time.
First broadcast in 1979, Life on Earth followed Attenborough as he traveled to 40 countries where his crew filmed 600 different species. The groundbreaking documentary has been watched by 500 million people worldwide, cementing Sir David’s reputation as the most successful, well-known, and influential wildlife filmmaker of our time. Since then, Attenborough’s extensive programming has taken PBS viewers on fascinating journeys into the natural world, and many of his films have been shown on NATURE and NOVA, and are available for streaming on PBS Passport.
During his long career, Attenborough embraced technology to reinvent storytelling and portray animals, plants, and ecosystems in fascinating ways. His numerous series helped pioneer filmmaking methods such as time-lapse cameras, super slow motion, infrared filming, and underwater photography.
If you thought his boundless imagination was only limited to the natural world, here’s a fun fact about Sir David Attenborough. When he worked for the BBC earlier in his career, he commissioned Kenneth Clark’s critically acclaimed Civilisation, as well as Monty Python’s Flying Circus — both considered early PBS treasures.
Whether you are a longtime admirer of Sir David Attenborough’s work or new to his engaging style, you won’t want to miss Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure. Premieres Wednesday, May 6 at 8 p.m. on VPM PBS.
A cherished annual tradition, the National Memorial Day Concert takes place as America prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary (semiquincentennial) of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Since 1776, brave and heroic service members have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. Broadcast live from the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, the concert honors the courage, sacrifice, and service of our military men and women, and their families. A star-studded lineup will grace the stage for an evening of powerful storytelling, musical salutes, and poignant moments of remembrance.
Tune in on Sunday evening, May 24, and find out why the National Memorial Day Concert is one of the highest rated programs on PBS.
Airs Monday, May 25 at 8 p.m. on VPM PBS.
Dear Reader:
Spring is here, and with it comes a season of extraordinary programming that brings you closer to the natural world and our shared history.
In May, celebrate the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough with Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure. This special offers a rare glimpse at the making of the landmark series 50 years after production began. You can also stream VPM’s film, Shenandoah, a love letter to Virginia’s treasured national park that captures its history, majesty, and transformation.
As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, we will present programs that educate and inspire reflection on America’s founding. Our broadcast of the National Memorial Day Concert continues an annual tradition, honoring the brave men and women
who have served our country. In addition, VPM brings you Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War, with the powerful stories of four Black men and women whose contributions helped shape our democracy. Because of your generous support, these programs are available, free of charge, to everyone in our region. I hope you’ll take a moment to visit VPM’s impact report at vpm.org/impact to see all that we accomplished together last year.
With gratitude,
Jayme Swain
President and CEO, VPM and the Virginia Foundation for Public Media
Your front-row seat awaits as Great Performances brings you four acclaimed Broadway sensations on four consecutive Fridays in May. First up on stage is Suffs
This Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of the American suffragist movement and the remarkable friendships, heartbreak, and action that brought women together — or in some cases tore them apart. The ensemble cast features Shaina Taub as Alice Paul, Nikki M. James as Ida B. Wells, and Jenn Colella as Carrie Chapman Catt.
Following Suffs is Top Hat. Inspired by the 1935 movie musical that starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, this musical
features classic Irving Berlin songs including “Cheek to Cheek,” “Let’s Face the Music and Dance,” and “Puttin’ on the Ritz.” This revival is directed and choreographed by three-time Tony Award-winner Kathleen Marshall.
For more than 50 years on PBS, Great Performances has provided an unparalleled showcase of the best in all genres of the performing arts, serving as America’s most prestigious and enduring broadcaster of cultural programming.
Airs Friday, May 8 at 9 p.m. on VPM PBS. Air dates/times are subject to change. Please check vpm.org/watch/tv-schedule for updates.
From the Desk of … Jayme Swain
Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War
As part of PBS America @ 250 programming, VPM PBS is presenting Declarations: Black Americans and the Revolutionary War. The founding tenets, as declared by the framers, stated: “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal…endowed with certain unalienable Rights, among them Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Yet for many of the enslaved and freed Black people who were helping to build the United States of America, these truths rang hollow.
Now this feature-length film expands the story of America’s founding fathers and mothers by exploring the lives of four largely
forgotten Black men and women who created their own version of the American Dream despite all odds, and armed with the promises of the framers. Viewers will meet Elizabeth “Mumbet” Freeman, James Armistead Lafayette, Harry Washington, and Abraham Peyton Skipwith. These four Black Americans followed very different but equally powerful journeys in their quest for freedom, equality, and a better life during the early years of the republic. Check our schedule for broadcast information.
DID YOU KNOW?
FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT GREAT PERFORMANCES
1 . Great Performances has been America’s preeminent performing arts television series for 53 seasons and counting, showcasing a diverse range of performing arts specials from around the world.
2. Since its beginnings in 1972, Great Performances has received numerous accolades, including 67 Emmy Awards, six George Foster Peabody Awards, a Grammy Award, and an NAACP Image Award.
3. Its first episode premiered on November 4, 1972, with a broadcast production of the Lanford Wilson play The Rimers of Eldritch, starring a promising up-and-coming actress named Susan Sarandon.
4. In addition to the annual Broadway’s Best programming, Great Performances has brought From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration to American audiences since 1985. Viewers ring in the new year with the famed Vienna Philharmonic at its annual concert from Vienna’s Musikverein.
5. Repeat guest hosts include Walter Cronkite, Julie Andrews, Whoopi Goldberg, and Hugh Bonneville.
6. Great Performances was the brainchild of Jac Venza. He was among the pioneering leaders of American public media for over three decades. Venza was a major force in harnessing the power of television to achieve international recognition for America’s leading performing artists.
For W.E.B. (William Edward Burghardt) Du Bois, the power of the pen was his greatest weapon. Born just five years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln, Du Bois lived through the collapse of Reconstruction, through two World Wars, to the rise of the Civil Rights Movement. Now Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Rita Coburn brings this prolific scholar and civil rights pioneer to light in a new two-hour documentary.
Viewers will follow this visionary’s singular journey by exploring both his monumental achievements and his deeply personal struggles. From the loss of his infant son to his lifelong battles with systemic racism — Du Bois’ humanity shaped his activism, inspiring leaders from the Harlem Renaissance to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Narrated by Viola Davis, W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With A Cause includes dramatic readings by Common, Courtney B. Vance, and Jeffrey Wright. The film is further illuminated with commentary from prominent scholars, historians, artists, and biographers including Henry Louis Gates Jr., Imani Perry, Eric Foner, and others.
Airs Tuesday, May 19 at 9 p.m. on VPM PBS.
Public Media Giving Days 2026
This year marks the fourth annual Public Media Giving Days! On May 1 and 2, we reflect on why public media is more critical than ever in keeping our community connected. It’s a time to share what you love about public media with friends and family, to celebrate VPM’s impact on our community, and to help us ensure that we can continue our work at VPM for many years to come. You are the heart of public media. We need YOU to help us make Public Media Giving Days a success. We hope you’ll spread the word and share the reasons you support public media with your friends, family, coworkers, and beyond. Check out VPM.org/givingdays to learn more and to see this year’s limited-edition VPM shirt, available exclusively during Public Media Giving Days.
Become a Day Sponsor
Did you know you can give a shout-out to a loved one or commemorate a special day on the air? When you “sponsor” a day, your message will air on VPM News or VPM Music six times on the date of your choice — first come, first served. Only four Day Sponsorships are available per day, two on VPM Music and two on VPM News. Dates fill up quickly, so reserve your date as soon as possible. Visit VPM.org/day-sponsorship for more information or to get started.
Leave a Lasting Legacy
For more than 60 years, VPM has continued to grow and evolve. What began as a modest experiment in public media has become an essential and trusted resource, providing reliable news, educational programming, and inspiring entertainment to more than 2 million Virginians. This progress has been sustained by the steadfast generosity of our viewers and listeners, many of whom represent second and third-generation donor families.
As we navigate a new funding landscape without federal support, VPM’s long-term stability increasingly depends on special gifts. One simple and impactful way to support VPM’s future is with a gift through your estate. Including VPM in your will or trust is a meaningful way to demonstrate your commitment to VPM and ensure its viability for future generations. To learn more about how you can help sustain trusted, independent public media for generations to come, contact Angie Hatcher Sledge at asledge@VPM.org or visit VPM.org/legacy-society. We would be honored to be part of your legacy.
Sports in America
Sports in America explores stories that shape athletes and fans alike. Each week, David Greene hosts in-depth conversations with people across the world of sports — from the star who hits the game winner to the millions of us whose lives are touched by the game. Sports in America, from WHYY in Philadelphia, airs on VPM News 88.9 FM, Sundays at 11 a.m.
2025 was a milestone year for VPM — from premiere events for The American Revolution, Shenandoah, and Chasing Cambodia to in-depth election coverage and the 25th anniversary of Virginia Home Grown. Through it all, we navigated the loss of federal funding. But support from friends like you has kept our mission strong. See the impact you make possible in our 2025 Impact Snapshot at VPM.org/impact.
