Venerable Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates helped talk-show goddess Oprah Winfrey trace her lineage back to Africa, and now he's back to do the same for a whole new group of famous black people on PBS's "African American Lives 2," which airs 9 p.m. Wednesday on WQED-TV.

The second-season premiere introduces the genealogical histories of poet laureate Maya Angelou, author Bliss Broyard, actors Don Cheadle and Morgan Freeman, morning radio personality Tom Joyner, Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee, comedian Chris Rock and singing legend Tina Turner.

Here are a few other TV programs timed to coincide with Black History Month:

• "Prince Among Slaves" (10 p.m. Monday, WQED): Rapper/actor Mos Def narrates the story of Abdul Rahman, an African prince who, at the age of 26 in 1788, was captured and sold into slavery, spending the next 40 years of his life working on a Mississippi plantation before regaining his freedom.

• "Lessons From Little Rock: A National Report Card" (10 p.m. Feb. 10, TV One): This special begins on the 50th anniversary of the landmark event that helped desegregate schools in the South. Candid interviews come from those who were there, including the Little Rock 9, as well as those on both sides of the struggle.

• "Joe Louis: America's Hero ... Betrayed" (8 p.m. Feb. 23, HBO): Documentary reveals how the grandson of slaves became one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, served as an iconic figure in World War II and later carried himself with dignity and class through numerous setbacks.

• "A Raisin in the Sun" (8 p.m., Feb. 25, ABC): Sean "P. Diddy" Combs is no Sidney Poitier, but he did expose a whole new generation to Lorraine Hansberry's celebrated and award-winning play on Broadway. Combs is reprising his role as Walter Lee Jr. for a small-screen version, alongside his star-studded cast including Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald ("Private Practice") and Sanaa Lathan ("Something New"). (Mekeisha Madden Toby, The Detroit News)

Syndicated talk show host Montel Williams is being replaced by a younger version of himself.

CBS Television Distribution announced Wednesday that "The Montel Williams Show" will cease production after this television season, his 17th on the air. Instead, stations that carried his show will be offered a series of Williams reruns: "Best of Montel" will be 52 weeks' worth of "some of the most exciting episodes" from the show's history, the producers said.

Sure, we're almost three months into the writers' strike and it's crippling scripted television and spitting out hours of "reality shows" in prime time.

But the networks do have a few last episodes of scripted favorites airing soon, including "House" (after the Super Bowl Sunday and Tuesday, Fox), "Smallville" (Feb. 7 and 14 and March 13, 20 and 27, The CW), "Friday Night Lights" (last one airs Friday, NBC), "Las Vegas" (last one airs Feb. 15, NBC), "Brothers & Sisters" (Feb. 10 and 17, ABC), "Back to You" (Feb. 26 and 27, Fox). (Terry Morrow, Scripps Howard News Service)

It was a striking example of Hollywood protecting its own: After an aggressive lobby from powerful film industry figures, "Entertainment Tonight" decided against airing a video that shows the late Heath Ledger hanging out at a party where drugs were being taken.

The show said it pulled the story "out of respect for Heath Ledger's family." But don't discount the effect of a lightning-fast campaign launched by a public relations firm that represents many of the stars "Entertainment Tonight" depends upon for stories.

Even some celebrities themselves -- Natalie Portman and Sarah Jessica Parker, to name a couple -- called to urge "ET" to pull the plug.

Ledger, 28, died in his Manhattan apartment Jan. 22. Authorities suspect a possible drug overdose, but the cause of his death is still pending the outcome of toxicology tests. Police said several prescription drugs -- but nothing illegal -- were found in the Manhattan apartment where the "Brokeback Mountain" actor's body was found.

"Entertainment Tonight" is hardly the lone news organization to broach the topic of potential drug abuse by the star. But the video it acquired, reportedly taken two years ago at a party at the Chateau Marmont Hotel, drew the fiercest attention.

The syndicated magazine's sister show, "The Insider," aired a "preview" of the story that it had planned to run Thursday that actually showed several segments of the video. Following the protest, "The Insider" yanked the segment from the West Coast version of its telecast.

The show made clear that there was nothing on the video showing Ledger taking any drug. At one point, however, the then-26-year-old said he "used to smoke five joints a day."

But a person who has seen the entire video, who asked not to be identified because of its sensitive nature, said Ledger then points to his tattoo of "M" (for his daughter, Matilda Rose) and says, "this is to remind me never to smoke weed again." That part of the quote was not used in Wednesday's preview.

Later, with Ledger in the background, an unidentified man, his face blurred, seems to snort cocaine from a table. (David Bauder, AP)

Devra Davis, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh and author of "The Secret History of the War on Cancer," will appear on C-SPAN 2's "Book TV" at 10 tonight and 6 a.m. tomorrow. ... Douglas Dubbs of Bridgeville will compete on "Wheel of Fortune" (7:30 p.m., WPXI) on Wednesday. ... NBC renewed "Celebrity Apprentice" for a second season to premiere in January 2009. ... ABC Family won't renew "Wildfire" beyond the current season. ... Comcast has added programming from Jewish network Shalom TV to its On Demand offerings. ... TruTV, formerly Court TV, has canceled "Star Jones" after less than six months. (Rob Owen, Post-Gazette TV editor)