*American Masters has released the first trailer for “W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With A Cause,” a new two-hour documentary set to debut May 19, 2026 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS. The film is directed by Peabody Award-winner Rita Coburn and will air nationally (check local listings).

Per the news release, the documentary traces the life of William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, beginning with his birth on February 23, 1868, five years after the Emancipation Proclamation, through his death in 1963 on the eve of the March on Washington. It presents a chronological portrait of Du Bois’s experiences, spanning the end of Reconstruction, two World Wars, and the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement.

Narrated by Viola Davis, the film incorporates dramatic readings of Du Bois’s writings performed by Common, Courtney B. Vance, and Jeffrey Wright. Commentary from scholars, historians, artists, and biographers—including Raymond Arsenault, Karida Brown, Eric Foner, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Eddie Glaude Jr., Nikole Hannah-Jones, David Levering Lewis, and Imani Perry—provides additional context. Drawing on his books, speeches, articles, and archival audio, the documentary highlights his use of scholarship, data, and infographics to confront systemic racism.

The film also explores Du Bois’s personal hardships, including the death of his infant son, alongside his public achievements. His activism included co-founding the NAACP, helping to establish the Niagara Movement, engaging in debates with Booker T. Washington and Marcus Garvey, and contributing to the founding of the United Nations. In his 1903 book “The Souls of Black Folk,” he wrote, “The problem of the 20th century is the color line.”

“My hope is that this documentary invites reflection and sparks dialogue, not only about who Du Bois was, but about the world we continue to shape in his wake,” said director Rita Coburn. “His life reminds us that scholarship and art, grounded in truth, can be weapons against oppression. To tell his story is to affirm that the pursuit of justice is as urgent today as it was in his time.”

“Dr. William Edward Burghardt Du Bois lived from 1868 to 1963, and he devoted his life to helping us all understand what he called ‘the problem of the color line,’” said Michael Kantor, Executive Producer of American Masters. “Though even the brilliant Dr. Du Bois couldn’t solve this problem, his teachings and his influence couldn’t resonate more strongly today.”

Now in its 40th season, American Masters is produced by The WNET Group and is available on PBS broadcast platforms and for streaming on PBS.org, the PBS App, and PBS Passport.