PBS Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

PBS announced today that it will air the 31st ANNUAL HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS on Friday, September 28 at 10:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) as part of its ongoing commitment to celebrate and honor the contributions of Hispanic Americans as recognized by The Hispanic Heritage Foundation. The awards are the country's highest honor given to Latinos by Latinos. The ceremony, which will be hosted by digital content creators Lele Pons and Rudy Mancuso, recognizes excellence in a number of fields, from the arts to community service to entrepreneurship, and features celebrity appearances and musical performances from Fonseca, Karol G, José Feliciano, Jesse & Joy and more. The awards are presented at The KENNEDY Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC.

Additionally, several PBS programs, including POV, GREAT PERFORMANCES, BREAKING BIG and ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, will air episodes centered on Hispanic culture and spotlight trailblazers whose influence is undeniable.

PBS programs recognizing Hispanic heritage (check local listings):

BREAKING BIG "Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz" - Friday, September 14, 8:30-9:00 p.m. ET

Track the route of San Juan's Mayor Cruz after Puerto Rico was slammed by a catastrophic hurricane. Cruz fought for relief aid, becoming the heroic voice of her struggling island and the Puerto Rican people.

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW "Celebrating Latino Heritage" - Monday, September 17, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET

Discover amazing items with connections to Latin American history and culture, including a treasure with an updated appraisal of as much as $2.2 million, now the highest-valued item in the entire "Roadshow" archive.

THE HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARDS - Friday, September 28, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET

Join the country's highest tribute to Latinos by Latinos. Honorees include MJ Rodriguez, Karol G, Jesse & Joy, Sister Norma Pimentel, Richard "Crazy Legs" Colón, Daniel Lubetzky and Ingrid Hoffmann. The program includes performances and appearances by celebrated Hispanic artists like Fonseca, José Feliciano, Fat Joe, Giselle Blondet, Grandmaster Caz and more. Hosted by Lele Pons and Rudy Mancuso.

GREAT PERFORMANCES "John Leguizamo's Road to Broadway" - Friday, November 16, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

Follow John Leguizamo's path to the Great White Way with his latest theatrical showcase, "Latin History for Morons," a comedic yet pointed look at the systematic repression of Hispanic culture throughout American history.

Encore GREAT PERFORMANCES "In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams" - Friday, November 16, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET

Follow a group of talented young creators led by composer-lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda as they produce an original musical - a Latin and hip-hop-infused story of a neighborhood and the first-generation Americans who call it home.

POV "Voices of the Sea" - Now streaming on PBS.org

Follow a 30-something Cuban mother of four longing for a better life. The tension between wife and husband - one desperate to leave, the other content to stay - builds into a family drama after her brother and the couple's neighbors escape.

Viewers can visit PBS.org to see a library of other programs and performance specials highlighting Hispanic Americans. All programs will also be streamed on PBS.org, PBS mobile and OTT apps, and local PBS member station websites following broadcast.

About PBS

PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 90 million people through television and 30 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. TEACHERS of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS' premier children's media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS Kids offers high-quality educational content on TV - including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.

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