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Journey through the 20th century with archival films on public affairs.

Covering American History C-SPAN style: with event coverage, eyewitness accounts, and discussions with authors, historians and teachers. Every weekend from 8am ET Saturday to 8am ET Monday on C-SPAN3.

In January, 2011, C-SPAN expanded its programming offerings with a new history-based service airing weekends on C-SPAN3. American History TV (AHTV) features programming geared toward history lovers with 48 hours every weekend of people and events that document the American story.

C-SPAN began C-SPAN3 operations in January 2001 as a digital service. C-SPAN3 is currently available in 49 million digital cable TV households and is streamed live online at C-SPAN.org.

At the time of the launch of American History TV, C-SPAN co-president Susan Swain said: "We’re hoping American History TV does for history enthusiasts what Book TV has done for non-fiction book lovers."

Most Recent Reel America Videos

November 18, 2023
Housing News from 1935

This Better Housing News Flash video from 1935 showed short pieces on then-current event and lifestyle topics from that…
March 25, 2017
Alaska Highway

This U.S. Army Signal Corps film documents the difficult task of building a 1,500 mile highway through the Canadian…
October 28, 2023
Telegram for America

This 1956 Western Union Telegraph Company film featured the history of the telegram, current use, and developing…

September 23, 2023
First Infantry Division in WWII (1946)

This 1946 War Department film showed combat operations in the 1st Infantry Division during World War II. The 1st…
December 5, 2020
A Special Report on Polio

This June 1955 broadcast by the radio and television networks in cooperation with the U.S. Public Health Service hoped to dispel fears…
June 29, 2019
Environmental Protection Agency History, 1970-1985

On its 15th anniversary in 1985, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency created a twenty-minute film documenting the…