H>V Explores Homes of the Underground Railroad
Billie
In recognition of Black History Month, Home & Garden Television (HGTV) will
take viewers on a fascinating journey to discover the secrets of the
Underground Railroad, telling the stories of seven remarkable homes along this
historic route.
Homes of the Underground Railroad, premiering Sunday, Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT,
is the centerpiece of HGTV¹s special programming planned to air throughout
February in honor of African-American heritage and achievements.
The homes featured in the one-hour special range from modest dwellings to
lavish mansions, including the John Rankin House, a beacon of freedom to
fleeing slaves crossing the Ohio River; the Indiana-based Levi Coffin House,
where 2,000 slaves were known to have been stationed; and the Lewis Hayden
House, a Boston stronghold for an African-American abolitionist.
From Iowa to Vermont, these safe havens were the homes of abolitionists who
opened their doors to fugitive slaves making their way north to freedom,² said
Burton Jablin, president of HGTV. ³These homes were and are symbols of
freedom and equality that still deliver a powerful message today.
Other homes featured include: the Jordan House in Des Moines, Iowa; the Lovejoy
House in Princeton, IL; the Seward House in Auburn, New York; Rokeby in
Ferrisburgh, VT.
In addition to Homes of the Underground Railroad, HGTV¹s popular series Homes
of Our Heritage and Modern Masters will air special, one-hour shows focused on
African-American visionaries and artists in February.
A fourth special, Return to Harlem, completes the special, month-long
commemoration of Black History Month. Program details are:
Homes of Our Heritage: African-American Visionaries
Saturday, February 2 at 5 p.m. ET/PT
HGTV invites viewers on an intimate tour of some remarkable homes of seven
notable African-Americans from the past two centuries. From humble cottages to
stately mansions, this tour will provide a glimpse of the influences and
aspirations of Educators Booker T. Washington and Mary McLeod Bethune, composer
Scott Joplin, banker Maggie Walker, and civil rights activists Frederick
Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Return to Harlem
Saturday, February 16 at 5 p.m. ET/PT
Revisit the glorious Harlem Renaissance when some of the finest
African-American writers, artists and musicians lived and worked in early
20th-century Harlem brownstones. Restaurants, coffee houses, bed-and-breakfasts
and fine art galleries are all part of the new Harlem Renaissance, along with
the refurbishing of 5,000-square-foot brownstones with Honduran mahogany and
24-karat gold-leaf molding still intact from a generation ago. Host is actor
Ossie Davis.
Modern Masters: African-American Artisans
Wednesday, February 27 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
This special profiles outstanding African-American artists who share the
passions and philosophies that inspire their work. Featured on the show are
sculptor and wood carver Charles Dickson of Los Angeles; clay artist David
McDonald of Syracuse, NY; blacksmith Bill Johnson of Washington, D.C; wood
carver Espi Frazier of Baltimore, MD; furniture maker Hermon Futrell of
Colorado's Rocky Mountain region; basket weaver Henrietta Snype of Charleston,
S.C.; and craftsman Frank Cummings of Long Beach, CA whose pieces are displayed
in the permanent collections of the White House and the Smithsonian. HGTV
viewers will witness these extraordinarily gifted artisans create signature
pieces for their clients' homes.
In addition, HGTV.com will feature African-American artists, culture, designs,
craft projects, recipes and more throughout the month of February.
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