Pbs documentary riding the rails book

Serving wealthy, white passengers in the golden age of rail travel, the pullman porters carried labor organizing skills, civil rights ideals, and elements of. As we learn about the astonishing postdepression fates of the noweightyyearold survivors, riding the rails lluminates the irrevocable repercussions of one very bitter chapter in american history. Swiss international hubs wilson delves into the culture and art of basel, and samples the delights and delicacies of beautiful bellinzona. Riding our regional rail lines just got more comfortable. Feb 07, 2003 after seeing the documentary riding the rails as an episode of the american experience series on pbs, i read this companion book authored by the father fatherinlaw of the couple who made the film. It includes interviews with elderly individuals who were teenagers on the move during that era, along with archival footage of the depression era, weaving them together to make a poignant and powerful portrait of a traumatized generation. How and why was the experience of riding the rails different for africanamericans. These young itinerant americans were all searching for a. Archival footage and newsreel interviews with kids full of bravado tells the unforgettable story of 250,000 teenagers who left their homes and hopped freight trains during the great depression.

What steps did teens have to take to adapt to life on the road. The restless youth of these boxcar boys and girls, many who went from middleclass gentility to scrabbleass poor overnight, is recaptured in riding the rails. For more information about the book, riding the rails. The great american read, an ambitious eightepisode documentary series that pbs has just announced, will explore the place of reading in american. English 11 study guide for riding the rails quizlet this is a viewing guide handout about riding the rails, a documentary which serves as background knowledge for the novel of mice and men. The book i have read is riding the rails, by errol lincoln uys, this was a tough read for me because i am a mystery or adventure kind of guy, but this is a great book if you would want to learn about the history of kids in america back during the great depression. After seeing the documentary riding the rails as an episode of the american experience series on pbs, i read this companion book authored by the father fatherinlaw of the couple who made the film. The series is coproduced by small world productions and kctsseattle and distributed nationally in the u. Majesty and machine meet in enchanting switzerland and in real rail adventures. This travel documentary showcases the construction marvels and visual splendors of the swiss rail system, where majesty and machine meet. An edited version of riding the rails was produced as an episode of the pbs documentary television program american experience in 2003.

Check out ptnys contribution to a pbs documentary, treasures of new york. Riding the rails presents the poignant and littleknown story of teen hobos during the 1930s, a time of desperation and bitter hardship. The suggestion led to the awardwinning pbs american experience film, riding the rails, made by michael and lexy lovell. What were some of the reasons teenagers left home to ride the rails. The making of milwaukee was the basis for an emmy awardwinning documentary series that premiered on milwaukee public television in 2006. Part of the american experience series on pbs, lexy lovells 1997 documentary riding the rails comes to dvd from wgbh boston video. Watch riding the rails american experience official site pbs. From worldclass mainlines and stunning scenic routes to pioneering steam locomotives and historic cog trains, this special celebrates the triumphs of swiss engineering and ingenuity.

Riding the rails tells the unforgettable story of the 250,000 teenagers who left their homes and hopped freight trains during the great depression. The season contained nine new episodes and began with the first part of the film truman. A copy of the pbs american experience documentary riding the rails. Start studying english 11 study guide for riding the rails. Upon seeing the documentary, rising from the rails, i immediately wanted to read the book that was associated. Riding the rails documentary wgbh dont miss this ride. Welcome to the official website of the documentary about americas last interurban, the south shore line. At the height of the great depression, more than a quarter million teenagers were living on the road in america, many crisscrossing the country by illegally hopping freight trains. Filmmaker stephen ives spent a year making a pbs documentary on the history of a unique american city new orleans. Isbn 1578079756 9781578079759 publisher number wg36689 wgbh video. It was called the great depression, and the hobos saw it coming.

Riding the rails recounts the hoboes trade secrets for survival and accounts of. The wonders of the swiss alps exhilarate travelers and mountain railways mesmerize. From middle class gentility to scrabbleass poor, the undiscriminating great depression forced 4,000,000 americans away from their homes and onto the. This is the tenth season to feature david mccullough as the host, and the show celebrated its 10th anniversary. You can now watch the full length documentary online.

The show takes viewers on a unique journey along the various rail and canal corridors that have been repurposed as recreational bike and pedestrian trails. Some new deal programs also attempted to keep people from riding the rails or entice those who already had begun riding the rails back into a more hopeful situation. View riding the rails and take notes on the study guide provided. Riding the rails directed by lexy lovell, michael uys. These young itinerant americans were all searching for a better life. Based on the awardwinning documentary, this book dispels the myths of a hobo existence and reveals the hard stories of a daring generation of american teenagersforgotten heroeswho. Riding the rails with americas hoboes free download book. Stories of extraordinary humanity from people coping with one of the worst economic crises to hit the western world. Featuring a footstomping soundtrack of such folk greats as jimmie rodgers, woody guthrie, doc watson, brownie mcghee and sonny terry, riding the rails vividly combines the cleareyed memories of. At genevas international red cross and red crescent museum wilson. Teenagers on the move during the great depression, by errol uys, visit his website. Pbs to unveil americas favorite books in new tv series. Letters home to hero street is a documentary coproduced by wqpt and fourth wall films. Riding the rails is the splendid mosaic that represents documentary filmmaking at its most engaging.

Teenagers on the move during the great depression 2000, p. This lates 1990s documentary explores the phenomenon of teenagers riding the rails during the great depression of the 1930s. Wed just stepped off the coal tender when we heard a voice, stop, or ill shoot. Students will view pbs documentary riding the rails and complete a study guide that goes with the film in order to focus on important information regarding the great depression, the. The program airs documentaries, many of which have won awards, 3 about important or interesting events and people in american history. The program airs documentaries, many of which have won awards, about important or interesting events and people in american history the series premiered on october 4, 1988 and was originally titled the american experience, but the article the was dropped during a later rebrand. Of mice and men riding the rails documentary steinbeck. This poignant and carefully researched documentary takes a stark look at the harsh realities behind the oftromanticized view of the trainhopping depressionera hobo. Winner of 11 major awards, this rare film will inform, dazzle and profoundly move you. Riding the rails american experience official site pbs. Next i read this description of the pbs video documentary, riding the rails, that they will be seeing and depicts homelessness in the 1930s. Theres a good pbs documentary running on a loop down in the little screening area. Chicago tribune a riveting document of hope and hardship.

This new hourlong documentary is the fourth episode in the telly awardwinning and emmy nominate series. American experience is narrated mostly by people who spent their depression days riding the rails looking for work. American experience is a television program airing on the public broadcasting service pbs in the united states. The film recounts the stories and memories of former teenage train hoppers from the great. Riding the rails could provide escape, adventure and hardship in san francisco, we rode the back of a passenger train right into the depot. Riding the rails teenagers on the move during the great. Wgbh pbs produced a documentary called riding the rails in 1998 as part of the american experience series. Riding the rails documentary language arts, history. Of mice and men riding the rails documentary steinbeck in the. Presented with a standard fullframe transfer and dolby digital stereo soundtrack in english, the disc includes an interview with the filmmakers and an excerpt from the book riding the rails. Rising from the rails goodreads meet your next favorite book. Teenagers on the move during the great depression, by errol uys, visit his. The elder uys, now a massachusetts resident, will discuss his book and screen the documentary at 2.

Study guide for riding the rails answers study guide for riding the rails answers study guide, riding the rails. Elizabeth hughes plymouth north high school plymouth, massachusetts. Dec 03, 2012 they called it the war to end all wars. Ride the rails with beyond books and errol lincoln uys pronounced ace. At the height of the great depression, more than a quarter million teenagers were living on the road in america, many crisscrossing the. Season ten of the television program american experience originally aired on the pbs network in the united states on october 5, 1997 and concluded on april, 1998. This book is a result of all of the research done for a pbs documentary a few. I suggested to my son, michael, a film maker, that the subject would make a powerful documentary. Just as the one in 2008, harsh economic crises are one of the worst. Aug 11, 20 stories of extraordinary humanity from people coping with one of the worst economic crises to hit the western world. Jul 01, 1999 the book i have read is riding the rails, by errol lincoln uys, this was a tough read for me because i am a mystery or adventure kind of guy, but this is a great book if you would want to learn about the history of kids in america back during the great depression.

Riding the rails documentary wgbh train video depot. Most of the film covers teenagers because those are the only ones still alive from those times. Your ride the rails of west virginia tour includes. The story of the pullman porter explores the littleknown history of the african american men hired to work on railroad sleeping cars beginning in the late 1860s. After seeing the documentary riding the rails as an episode of the american experience series on pbs, i read this companion book authored by the father. In the book, i draw on 3,000 letters from boxcar boys and girls sent to the documentary makers. This regional documentary focuses on the personal letters sent home from one of the eight soldiers, who died during world war ii and the korean conflictall of whom were from the same blockandahalf long neighborhood now called hero street, usa, in silvis, illinois.

Riding the rails presents the poignant and littleknown story of teen hobos duringthe 1930s, a time of desperation and bitter hardship. An intimate history hardcover,from the awardwinning historian and filmmakers the civil war, baseball, the war, the roosevelts. Study guide study guide, johnny cash riding the rails. Riding the rails videorecording in searchworks catalog. Riding the rails riding the rails is an independently produced feature length documentary.

Rarely is the history and significance of the pullman porter discussed and appreciated with american history. Riding the rails is produced by lexy lovell and michael uys. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Wgbhpbs produced a documentary called riding the rails in 1998 as part of the american experience series. Riding the rails offers a visionary perspective on the presumed romanticism of the road and cautionary legacy of the great depression. What kinds of experiences good and bad did teens have. Errol lincoln uys relays such a departure scene in his book riding the rails. Of those habitual rail riders, 250,000 thousand were children and adolescents, many of whom were forced to hit the road not for fun and adventure, but out of brutal necessity. Two railroad bulls hauled my partner and i into a substation. This community viewing guide is designed to encourage individuals of all backgrounds to come together to talk and embrace how personal histories are part of a larger shared history and how. Riding the rails is the story of american teenagers during the depression, some. A favorite of president roosevelts, the civilian conservation corps ccc, was created in 1933 and recruited young men between the ages of 16 and 25 to work on conservation. This video contains content from pbs, who has blocked it in your country on grounds. Teenagers on the move during the great depression by errol lincoln uys the reader can all but hear the cadence of the trains on the tracks and the lonesome wail at every stop.

Striking in its detail and depth of emotion, riding the rails is that rare documentary that will inform, dazzle, and move its audience to tears. In researching that film, the producers solicited letters from survivors of the experience. More information about riding the rails, including a complete transcript, can be found on the pbs website. Season 10 episode 9 52m 33s at the height of the great depression, more than 250,000 teenagers were living on the road in. If the class history book is insufficient, see the great depression in the context section. The book includes the stories of two fictional families, the cavalcantis and da.