History of the Word of Wisdom

This week, PBS will take a close look at prohibition.

Prohibition premieres Sunday-Tuesday, October 2-4 in the evenings on most PBS stations.

The prohibition was a major factor in the church's increased emphasis of the Word of Wisdom in the 20th century. Over time, the status of the Word of Wisdom changed from suggestion to intermittently enforced commandment and finally during the first half of the 20th century -- to commandment.

Discover the true story of America's "Great Experiment" - the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution outlawing alcohol.