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Arts & Culture

IN PERFORMANCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE: A Celebration Of Music From The Civil Rights Era

Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson perform in the East Room of the White House, 2010.
Courtesy of Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson perform in the East Room of the White House, 2010.

Airs Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV

This series of performance specials at the White House presents the best of American performing arts. From the Broadway musical to opera, country and western, gospel, ballet, jazz and more, the series has featured the extraordinary richness of American music and dance.

"A Celebration Of Music From The Civil Rights Movement" - In honor of Black History Month, President and Mrs. Obama hosted a concert in the White House East Room.

Artists include Yolanda Adams, Joan Baez, Natalie Cole, Bob Dylan, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, John Mellencamp, Smokey Robinson, Seal, the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Howard University Choir and The Freedom Singers, featuring Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, Rutha Harris, Charles Neblett and Toshi Reagon. Robert De Niro and Morgan Freeman are guest speakers.

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The evening will feature songs from the Civil Rights Movement performed by these top entertainers, as well as readings from famous Civil Rights speeches and writings. This episode originally aired in 2010.

IN PERFORMANCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE has been produced by WETA since 1978 and spans every administration since President Carter's. The series began with an East Room recital by the legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz.

Since then, IN PERFORMANCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE has embraced virtually every genre of American performance: pop, country, gospel, jazz, blues, theatre and dance among them. The series was created to showcase the rich fabric of American culture in the setting of the nation's most famous home.

Watch web exclusive clips and entire broadcasts of past performances from the IN PERFORMANCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE series.

Preview: In Performance At The White House
Natalie Cole "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free"
Jennifer Hudson and Smokey Robinson perform "People Get Ready"
Yolanda Adams "A Change is Gonna Come"