The Dust Bowl

Survey the causes of the worst man-made ecological disaster in American history, when the frenzied wheat boom of the “Great Plow-Up,” followed by a decade-long drought during the 1930s, nearly swept away the breadbasket of the nation. See vivid interviews with 26 survivors of those hard times, combined with dramatic photographs and seldom-seen movie footage, that bring to life stories of incredible human suffering and equally incredible perseverance. The documentary is also a morality tale about our relationship to the land that sustains us — a lesson we ignore at our peril.

Premiering Sunday, Nov. 18, at 8pm and continuing Monday, Nov. 19, at 8pm on WGBH 2.

Special Feature: Watch "Uncovering the Dustbowl", a video interview with director Ken Burns on the making of this historic film.