Prohibition

Ken Burns is known for his epic documentaries on topics such as the Civil War and the history of baseball. In this five-and-a-half-hour documentary, Burns and co-director Lynn Novick tackle a more controversial topic, prohibition. The three-part program tells the story of the rise and the fall of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, which banned the manufacturing, sale and transportation of alcohol in the United States, and the era that it encompassed. "Prohibition" raises questions that are as relevant in the 21st century as they were during the Prohibition era, including questions of individual rights and responsibilities and the role of government in citizens' lives. Actor Peter Coyote narrates.