History™ Presents
“KING”
With Tom Brokaw
A stirring new look at the life and legacy of the
leader who changed our past and our future
Features a rare television interview with Martin
Luther King III about his father
Other candid interviews with King confidants and public figures
Premieres on History™ on Sunday, April 6 at 8pm / 7C
NEW
YORK — Forty years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. at age 39, a new History™ special, KING, with
newsman Tom Brokaw, takes viewers on an unprecedented journey back
in time and forward to today. KING goes beyond the legend to
delve into the man, the questions, the myths and, most importantly,
the relevance of Dr. King’s message in today’s world. Nancy Dubuc,
Executive Vice President and General Manager, History™, announced
that the two-hour special will premiere on History on Sunday, April
6 at 8pm/7C.
“Dr. King led a revolution of change fighting
for the most basic of human rights – equality,” said Dubuc. “As we
reflect on the fortieth anniversary of his death, Tom Brokaw will
bring to life King’s legacy. The personal and historical revelations
here are a poignant message for today’s times.”
In a rare
television interview, Dr. King’s son Martin Luther King III shares
his memories and thoughts about his father in the special.
In an insightful conversation with Brokaw, he talks about how he
carries his father’s torch today by leading a new campaign against
poverty called “Realizing the Dream.” During the interview, he
takes Brokaw into the field to show him the devastating poverty
still plaguing our nation.
Some of Dr. King’s closest confidants draw
viewers inside his mind as he led the civil rights movement; and
others from public life and entertainment speak about his indelible
influence on their lives. Among those
interviewed in the special are Andrew Young, Former President Bill
Clinton, Harry Belafonte, Chuck D, Forest Whitaker, Rep. John Lewis
and many others.
KING
brings to life many aspects of his
unwavering fight for civil rights: his decision to join the bus
boycott in Montgomery, Alabama; the fateful march in Selma; his
incarceration in Birmingham; the march on Washington; and his tragic
death in Memphis. It shows his personal struggles and triumphs,
moments of doubt and weakness, and his humility and humanity.
"With
every passing year we have a greater understanding of the magnitude
of Dr. King's achievements and the historic place he occupies in the
pantheon of American heroes,” said Brokaw. “As a young reporter in
the South I was witness to his courage and his oratorical genius in
the face of often violent resistance to the idea that every American
should have equal rights. Revisiting that time and his place in it
has been a deeply rewarding experience."
Executive Producers of KING for
History are David McKillop and Susan Werbe. KING is a Peacock
Production. Executive Producer is Knute Walker. Co-Executive
Producers are Aretha Marshall and Benjamin Ringe. Senior Supervising
Producer is Gretchen Eisele.
History is a leading cable
television network featuring compelling original, non-fiction
specials and series that bring history to life in a powerful and
entertaining manner across multiple platforms. The network provides
an inviting place where people experience history in new and
exciting ways enabling them to connect their lives today to the
great lives and events of the past that provide a blueprint for the
future. History has earned four Peabody Awards, three Primetime
Emmy® Awards, 10 News & Documentary Emmy® Awards and received the
prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts &
Sciences for the network's Save Our History® campaign dedicated to
historic preservation and history education. History reaches more
than 95 million Nielsen subscribers. The website is located at
www.History.com. Press Only: For more information and photography
please visit the web at
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