The True Story of the First Thanksgiving

The first Thanksgiving wasn't the same holiday we celebrate today -- in fact, the Pilgrims didn't even call it "thanksgiving." "The Pilgrims" premieres Tuesday, November 24 at 8/7c on PBS American Experience.

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Clip Season 27 Episode 10 Length 02:58 Premiere: 11/24/15

Recent Episodes

Bombshell

S37 E8 Length 1:22:36 Premiere Date 01/06/26

Part 2 | Kissinger | American Experience

S37 E7 Length 1:22:42 Premiere Date 10/22/25

Part 1 | Kissinger | American Experience

S37 E6 Length 1:22:49 Premiere Date 10/14/25

Hard Hat Riot

S37 E5 Length 1:21:16 Premiere Date 09/30/25

Clearing the Air: The War on Smog

S37 E4 Length 52:39 Premiere Date 08/26/25

Mr. Polaroid

S37 E3 Length 52:20 Premiere Date 05/19/25

Clips & Previews

The Pilgrims Preview

Preview Length 00:30 Premiere Date 11/24/15

The Pilgrims Trailer

Preview Length 03:15 Premiere Date 11/24/15

The Pilgrims Chapter 1

Clip Length 06:18 Premiere Date 11/24/15

A Quote from William Bradford, from The Pilgrims

Clip Length 01:58 Premiere Date 11/24/15

Overboard on the Mayflower

Clip Length 01:31 Premiere Date 11/24/15

The True Story of the First Thanksgiving

Clip Length 02:58 Premiere Date 11/24/15

Soylent Green Trailer

Clip Length 03:28 Premiere Date 02/15/10

Government Film: Combat America

Clip Length 08:21 Premiere Date 01/12/10

Government Film: Memphis Belle

Clip Length 10:06 Premiere Date 01/12/10

Interview Dr. Alfred Crosby

Clip Length 06:07 Premiere Date 12/21/09

Interview Dr. Shirley Fannin

Clip Length 09:22 Premiere Date 12/21/09

Author Interview: Neil Maher

Clip Length 07:00 Premiere Date 09/24/09

The 1930s Series Preview

Preview Length 01:02 Premiere Date 08/20/09

Specials

Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act [ASL]

Length 53:02 Premiere Date 03/25/25

Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act [Extended Audio Description]

Length 1:00:42 Premiere Date 03/19/25

FDR's Pearl Harbor Speech

Length 01:10 Premiere Date 12/06/16

Olympian Profile: Andrew Campbell

Length 03:06 Premiere Date 08/02/16

Olympian Profile: Katelin Snyder

Length 02:53 Premiere Date 08/02/16

Radio Coverage of the 1936 Olympics

Length 05:28 Premiere Date 08/02/16

Olympian Profile: Bryan Volpenhein

Length 03:25 Premiere Date 07/18/16

Olympian Profile: Caryn Davies

Length 03:23 Premiere Date 07/11/16

Grand Central: Crisis Leads to Opportunity

Length 02:19 Premiere Date 02/04/08

Grand Central: Breaking Ground

Length 01:51 Premiere Date 02/04/08

The Design of Grand Central

Length 01:07 Premiere Date 02/04/08

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Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act - S37 E2

Tuesday October 27, 2026 11:00 am ET on KETWORLD
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The War On Disco - S35 E9

Monday October 19, 2026 11:00 am ET on KETWORLD
Monday October 19, 2026 10:00 am CT on KETWORLD
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Sunday October 18, 2026 11:00 pm ET on KETWORLD
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Jesse James - S18 E7

Monday October 19, 2026 10:00 am ET on KETWORLD
Monday October 19, 2026 9:00 am CT on KETWORLD
Monday October 19, 2026 2:00 am ET on KETWORLD
Monday October 19, 2026 1:00 am CT on KETWORLD
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Thursday October 15, 2026 1:00 am CT on KET
Tuesday October 13, 2026 9:00 pm ET on KET
Tuesday October 13, 2026 8:00 pm CT on KET

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The True Story of the First Thanksgiving

Recent Episodes

Bombshell

Part 2 | Kissinger | American Experience

Part 1 | Kissinger | American Experience

Hard Hat Riot

Clearing the Air: The War on Smog

Mr. Polaroid

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Clips & Previews

The Pilgrims Preview

The Pilgrims Trailer

The Pilgrims Chapter 1

A Quote from William Bradford, from The Pilgrims

Overboard on the Mayflower

The True Story of the First Thanksgiving

Soylent Green Trailer

Government Film: Combat America

Government Film: Memphis Belle

Interview Dr. Alfred Crosby

Interview Dr. Shirley Fannin

Author Interview: Neil Maher

The 1930s Series Preview

Specials

Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act [ASL]

Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act [Extended Audio Description]

FDR's Pearl Harbor Speech

Olympian Profile: Andrew Campbell

Olympian Profile: Katelin Snyder

Radio Coverage of the 1936 Olympics

Olympian Profile: Bryan Volpenhein

Olympian Profile: Caryn Davies

Grand Central: Crisis Leads to Opportunity

Grand Central: Breaking Ground

The Design of Grand Central

TV Schedules

Upcoming

Recent

Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act - S37 E2

The War On Disco - S35 E9

Jesse James - S18 E7

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