A sweeping tale of the largest river system in the United States and the spectacular landscapes, diverse cultural heritage, and the industrial triumph nurtured on its banks. British news anchorman, Sir Trevor McDonald, undertakes an epic journey from the Gulf of Mexico to the Mississippi’s source in Minnesota with many stops along the way.
Places To Visit
Find parks, visitor centers and other places of interest near the Mississippi River.
Fascinating characters like Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman, and Elvis Presley’s former girlfriend, testify to the unique atmosphere the Mississippi has created. The trip reveals how the mighty river has influenced American culture and politics, from the birth of the nation to today.
From a colorful New Orleans jazz funeral to a moving eyewitness account of Martin Luther King’s assassination, the journey along Ol’ Man River results in a vivid portrait of centuries of American culture.
Trevor MacDonald has been one of the most popular and enduring news presenters in the U.K for decades. He was knighted in 2003 for his contributions to journalism.
Episode One airs Tuesday, July 16 at 11 p.m. - Trevor begins his journey in the Deep South where he finds out that the legacy from the days of slavery still affects life there today. He gets the chance to see a jazz funeral, unique to New Orleans.
He also makes a poignant visit to some rare surviving plantation slave quarters before having a face-to-face encounter with an alligator in America’s largest swamp.
Episode Two airs Tuesday, July 23 at 11 p.m. – Trevor talks to actor Morgan Freeman about his childhood growing up in the Deep South. He also meets a close friend of Dr. Martin Luther King who was standing next to him when he was assassinated. Trevor chats to one of Elvis Presley’s first girlfriends.
Episode Three airs Tuesday, August 6 at 11 p.m. – Trevor takes a look around the town which inspired the Huckleberry Finn books, an island which is dedicated to making guns and the city known for being one of the best places to live in the whole of America.
A DVD copy of this series is available at shoppbs.org.
