On January 6, 2021, millions watched live as the unthinkable happened – a group of armed insurrectionists stormed the US Capitol and gained entry to the inner chambers, destroying property, searching for “enemies,” and vowing to “take back the country.”

While not the first insurrection in our country’s history, it was certainly the first in recent memory, a climax to years of vicious partisan fights and months of “stop the steal” – a false allegation that President Joe Biden did not win the election.

On January 6, 2022, SPC’s community partner, WEDU, will air Fragile Democracy, a two-hour documentary exploring the ebbs and flows of democracy, both nationally and globally.

The program examines the history of unstable democracy, from revolution, rebellion and reconstruction, to Civil Rights, Obama, and Trump, and takes a look to the future, as well as at local and national programs aimed and instituting a more robust civics curriculum in schools.

Fragile Democracy is neither a news broadcast nor a historical documentary, but a hybrid production that showcases the richness of PBS’s programming intelligence, its diverse voices, and its tradition of informing and enlightening the nation at times of crisis.

January 6, 2021 was not the first or only insurrection our nation has witnessed. There have been many points in history where there have been armed uprisings which had to be put down with force, and other times when the very essence of our democracy has been threatened. In fact, in 1807, the Insurrection Act was passed to deal with uprisings, and it has been invoked more than once. There will be some stories we know – and others that will be new to most.

Fragile Democracy aims to offer historical context to help viewers understand how we got to this place, how the insurrection and political divisions affect our present day, and what the future of American democracy might look like.

WATCH THURSDAY, JANUARY 6 @ 9pm WEDU PBS.