Fatal Flood
american experience

In the spring of 1927, after weeks of incessant rains, the Mississippi River went on a rampage from Cairo, Illinois to New Orleans, inundating hundreds of towns, killing as many as a thousand people and leaving a million homeless. In Greenville, Mississippi, efforts to contain the river pitted the majority black population against an aristocratic plantation family, the Percys -- and the Percys against themselves. A story of greed, power and race during one of America's greatest natural disasters.

Duration: 56 minutes and 46 seconds

Episode Number: 1311

About American Experience:

As television's longest-running, most-watched history series, American Experience brings to life the incredible characters and epic stories that helped form this nation.


Watch American Experience - Clips, Episodes & Previews


Future Broadcast times for "American Experience": (show all)

Wed, Oct 29 1:00 P.M. Kissinger: Part One     NH Explore (11.2)
Wed, Oct 29 2:30 P.M. Kissinger: Part Two     NH Explore (11.2)
Thu, Oct 30 3:00 A.M. Kissinger: Part Two     NHPBS (11.1)
Fri, Oct 31 7:00 P.M. Kissinger: Part One     NH World (11.3)
Fri, Oct 31 8:30 P.M. Kissinger: Part Two     NH World (11.3)
Sat, Nov 1 12:00 A.M. Kissinger: Part One     NH World (11.3)
Sat, Nov 1 12:00 A.M. Kissinger: Part One     NH Explore (11.2)
Sat, Nov 1 1:30 A.M. Kissinger: Part Two     NH World (11.3)
Sat, Nov 1 1:30 A.M. Kissinger: Part Two     NH Explore (11.2)
Sat, Nov 1 8:00 A.M. Kissinger: Part One     NH World (11.3)
Sat, Nov 1 9:30 A.M. Kissinger: Part Two     NH World (11.3)
Sat, Nov 1 2:00 P.M. Kissinger: Part One     NH World (11.3)
Sat, Nov 1 3:30 P.M. Kissinger: Part Two     NH World (11.3)
Wed, Nov 19 1:00 P.M. Victory in the Pacific     NH Explore (11.2)
Mon, Nov 24 2:00 P.M. The American Vice President     NH World (11.3)
Tue, Nov 25 2:00 P.M. Ruthless: Monopoly's Secret History     NH World (11.3)


NHPBS Over-the-Air Broadcast

WENH-TV Ch. 11 Durham

WLED-TV Ch. 48 Littleton

WEKW-TV Ch. 18 Keene

W50DP-D Ch. 50 Hanover

W34DQ-D Ch. 34 Pittsburg

Cable and Satellite Channels


NHPBS Five Channels

NHPBS - 11.1

Explore - 11.2

World - 11.3

Create - 11.4

Kids - 11.5

All of our channels and NHK World Japan are streaming LIVE ONLINE and on the PBS App, available on most devices.

Learn More


 

Community Impact

NHPBS NHPBS Passport Passport

This Old House | E3 | Carolina Rebuilds | All Clear
Ask This Old House | E3 | Houseplant Soil, Spot Point Brick | Ask This Old House
Maigret | Episode 1: The Lazy Burglar, Part 1
The Gold | Episode 1
Antiques Roadshow | Vintage Raleigh 2025, Hour 1
Hispanic Heritage Awards | 38th Hispanic Heritage Awards
Cook's Country | Georgia Food on My Mind
The Caverns Sessions | Violent Femmes
Big Cats 24/7 | Reunion
Sacred Planet with Gulnaz Khan | Saving the World's Forests
America's Test Kitchen | Make-Ahead Masterclass
American Experience | The Presidents: FDR (Part 2)
Becoming Thurgood: America's Social Architect | Becoming Thurgood: America's Social Architect
POV | A New Kind of Wilderness
Unforgotten | Episode 2
The Marlow Murder Club | Episode 2
Professor T | Overboard
The Last Ecstatic Days | The Last Ecstatic Days
The Carnival of More Animals | The Carnival of More Animals
Cinema Nomad | Bosnia & Herzegovina
Wisdom Keepers: Healing a Divided People | John Vervaeke - Finding Meaning Through our Common Connections
The Future of Farming | The Future of Farming
Kerry: Tides of Time | Episode 1
VOCES | Slumlord Millionaire
Impossible Town | Impossible Town
American Masters | Marcella [Extended Audio Description]
Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty | Rivalry
Doc World | Call Me Dancer
City of Songs | Austin: The Next Verse
Grantchester | Episode 8
Walking with Dinosaurs | The Orphan