Television, Radio Stations Mark Black History Month

Often commemorated with local parades, stage productions and art shows, Black History Month in recent years has also been observed with specially produced television and radio programming. Nearly 70 years after African American historian Carter Woodson first organized the February celebration, African American talents are being showcased in movies, documentaries and music programs.

Tonight’s offering is a rerun of PBS’ acclaimed production of the classic Gershwin opera “Porgy and Bess,” with Willard White, Cynthia Haymon and the London Philharmonic (8 p.m. on KCET-TV Channel 28). But much of the fare this month is new. Selected highlights:

Television

Dramas: Vernon Johns Story,” a made-for-TV movie about the civil rights leader starring James Earl Jones. It was originally scheduled Jan. 17, to coincide with the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day but got “preempted” by the earthquake. Monday, 8 p.m., KTLA-TV Channel 5.

“Tribute to Paul Robeson” consists of two rarely seen Robeson films: “Sanders of the River” (1935), the adventure of a British colonial servant who keeps peace between African tribes, and “Body and Soul” (1924), a silent film by pioneering black filmmaker Oscar Micheaux, with Robeson as a preacher who preys on his congregation. Feb. 12, 9 p.m., KCET.

“Race to Freedom: The Underground Railroad,” a new movie about Southern slaves trying to make their way to Canada during the 1850s, starring Glynn Turman, Janet Bailey, Dawnn Lewis, Courtney B. Vance and Charnell Bernard. Feb. 19, 8 p.m., BET and the Family Channel.

“Assault at West Point,” a made-for-TV movie featuring Samuel L. Jackson and Sam Waterston, about the expulsion and court-martial of one of the first black cadets admitted to West Point. Feb. 27, 8 p.m., Showtime.

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Documentary: “Buffalo Soldiers: The Legend Continues” looks at the history of all-black Army units, from the Civil War through the two World Wars and the Korean conflict. Friday, 9 p.m., A&E.;

“A Question of Color” confronts the issue of “color consciousness” and its effect in the black community. Feb. 15, 10 p.m., KCET.

“Against the Odds: The Artists of the Harlem Renaissance.” Joe Morton narrates this documentary about how a little-known group of visual artists of the 1920s and ‘30s influenced the African American literary community of the time. Feb. 20, 10 p.m., KCET.

“112th and Central,” which had a brief theatrical release, looks at Los Angeles’ 1992 civil unrest through the eyes of young, inner-city residents. Feb. 25, 11 p.m., KCET.

Music: “Gospel,” filmed at a 1981 concert at Oakland’s Paramount Theatre, features the Rev. James Cleveland, the Mighty Clouds of Joy, Shirley Caesar and the Clark Sisters. Thursday, 10 p.m., KCET.

Radio

Interview: “Politics of Culture: A Conversation With Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee.” The couple discusses theater, literature, writing, raising children, the aging process, humor and the passing of tradition. Feb. 15, 12:25 p.m., KCRW-FM (89.9).

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Music: “Nat ‘King’ Cole: In Every Way,” a tribute to the late singer hosted by Harry Belafonte, with guests Bobby Short, Mel Torme, Billy Taylor, John Collins, Milt Hinton and Cole family members. Friday, 1 p.m., KPCC-FM (89.3).

“Sundays at Four” is a series of four simulcasts of live performances at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art featuring black performers and composers. Sunday, Feb. 13, 20 and 27, 4 p.m., KUSC-FM (91.5).

“Juke Joints and Jubilee,” an eclectic mix of party and church music, featuring the Holmes Brothers, Fontella Bass, John Dee Holeman and the Birmingham Spotlights. Feb. 21, noon, KPCC-FM.

Documentary: “Ain’t Gonna Be Treated This Way.” Esther Rolle hosts an exploration of black social history during the Great Depression. Feb. 21, 3 p.m., KPCC-FM .

“The Talented Ten: African American Women in the 103rd Congress.” Congressional members profile their own success stories and discuss their political perspectives. Feb. 21, 6 p.m., KCRW-FM.