The 2021 hurricane season nears its peak as WSBE Rhode Island PBS prepares its annual presentation of the Emmy-winning documentary Wake of ‘38 on Monday, September 20 at 9 p.m.
More than 80 years ago on September 21, the Great New England Hurricane of 1938 quickly careened its way up the east coast, taking 600 lives. To mark the 40th anniversary of the hurricane, WSBE (then “Channel 36” now “Rhode Island PBS”) produced a timeless documentary in 1978, using archival footage and interviews with survivors.
Winning an Emmy Award for WSBE, Wake of ’38 respectfully covers the impact the destructive storm left on New England coastal communities and gives origin to the scars still visible on downtown Providence buildings today. Even as documentaries go, it is easy to forget while watching the film that this is actual footage captured by real people in real-time, recording the events as they happened at the height of the raging winds and pelting rains – in 1938.
For more content about Wake of ‘38, click here for our comprehensive 75th-anniversary blog post from 2013. The blog post includes remarkable photos and links to other stunning galleries.
WSBE Rhode Island PBS transmits over the air in high definition on digital 36.1; Cox 08 / 1008HD, Verizon FiOS 08 / 508HD, and Full Channel 08; Comcast 819HD and Verizon FiOS 18 / 518HD in MA; DirecTV 36, Dish Network 36. Live stream the full broadcast schedule at watch.ripbs.org/livestream.
