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American Experience

The Cancer Detectives

Season 36 Episode 3 | 52m 54s

The Cancer Detectives tells the untold story of the first-ever war on cancer and the coalition of people who fought tirelessly to save women from cervical cancer: a Greek immigrant, Dr. George Papanicolaou; his intrepid wife, Mary; Japanese-born artist Hashime Murayama; Dr. Helen Dickens, an African American OBGYN in Philadelphia; and an entirely new class of female scientists.

Aired: 03/25/24 | Expires: 03/26/27
Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Extras
Watch • 2:22
American Experience
Trailer | Clearing the Air: The War on Smog
Watch a preview of Clearing the Air: The War on Smog.
Preview: S37 E4 | 2:22
Watch • 1:58
American Experience
Why do people shake Polaroid pictures?
We were told to "shake it like a Polaroid picture". But what if we got it wrong?
Clip: S37 E3 | 1:58
Watch • 3:08
American Experience
The Women of Polaroid
The women behind the camera.
Clip: S37 E3 | 3:08
Watch • 9:18
American Experience
Chapter 1 | Mr. Polaroid
Watch a preview of Mr. Polaroid.
Preview: S37 E3 | 9:18
Watch • 1:45
American Experience
Trailer | Mr. Polaroid
The story of Edwin Land, whose iconic Polaroid camera let everyone instantly chronicle their lives.
Preview: S37 E3 | 1:45
Watch • 2:24
American Experience
Trailer | Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act
The dramatic story of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990.
Preview: S37 E2 | 2:24
Watch • 2:23
American Experience
Trailer | ASL | Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act
ASL The dramatic story of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990.
Preview: S37 E2 | 2:23
Watch • 9:17
American Experience
Chapter 1 | Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act
Watch a preview of Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act.
Clip: S37 E2 | 9:17
Watch • 9:17
American Experience
Chapter 1 | ASL | Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act
ASL Watch a preview of Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act.
Clip: S37 E2 | 9:17
Watch • 2:50
American Experience
Trailer | Extended Audio Description | Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act
EXTENDED AD The dramatic story of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990.
Preview: S37 E2 | 2:50
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American Experience
Clearing the Air: The War on Smog
The story of L.A.’s noxious smog problem and the creation of the EPA and Clean Air Act.
Episode: S37 E4
Watch • 52:20
American Experience
Mr. Polaroid
The story of Edwin Land, whose iconic Polaroid camera let everyone instantly chronicle their lives.
Episode: S37 E3 | 52:20
Watch • 53:00
American Experience
Change, Not Charity: The Americans with Disabilities Act
The dramatic story of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990.
Episode: S37 E2 | 53:00
Watch • 1:52:47
American Experience
Forgotten Hero: Walter White and the NAACP
The story of one of the most influential yet forgotten civil rights figures, Walter White.
Episode: S37 E1 | 1:52:47
Watch • 1:51:27
American Experience
American Coup: Wilmington 1898
The little-known story of the deadly 1898 race massacre and coup d’etat in Wilmington, NC.
Episode: S36 E7 | 1:51:27
Watch • 52:36
American Experience
The American Vice President
A look at the US vice presidency, from constitutional afterthought to position of political import.
Episode: S36 E6 | 52:36
Watch • 1:53:04
American Experience
The Riot Report
When US inner cities erupted in violence in 1967, LBJ created a commission to investigate.
Episode: S36 E5 | 1:53:04
Watch • 1:52:30
American Experience
Poisoned Ground: The Tragedy at Love Canal
The story of housewives who led a grassroots movement to galvanize the Superfund Bill.
Episode: S36 E4 | 1:52:30
Watch • 1:52:39
American Experience
Fly with Me
The lively but neglected history of the women who changed the world while flying it.
Episode: S36 E2 | 1:52:39
Watch • 52:51
American Experience
Nazi Town, USA
The story of the German American Bund, a pro-Nazi group active across the US in the 1930s.
Episode: S36 E1 | 52:51