MLK Day: 5 Films To Watch Honoring the Legacy of Dr. King
Civil Rights leader and activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will be honored on his annual holiday Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 15, 2024.
Marking the 29th anniversary to commemorate his life and the legacy he left promoting the principles of nonviolent resistance to overcome racial injustices and oppressions, Dr. King was one of the first national faces to demand racial and economic equality in the country.
Dr. King received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Four years later on April 4, 1968, at the age of 39, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee on the balcony of his hotel. He was traveling to Memphis to lead the Memphis Sanitation Workers’ Strike and famously gave his “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech.
As BET.com honors Dr. King here are five inspirational films honoring Dr. King's legacy today and as we prepare for the celebration that is Black History month.
"MLK: The Assassination Tapes" (2012)
Streaming on the Smithsonian Channel and Paramount Plus, MLK: The Assassination Tapes revisits the tumultuous events surrounding one of the most shocking assassinations in American history. The documentary features rediscovered footage that has been chronologically reassembled as the voices of the era tell the tale of what took place.
"A Ripple of Hope" (2009)
Moments after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated outside a Memphis hotel room on April 4, 1968, presidential candidate Robert Kennedy was strongly advised against appearing before a crowd in Indianapolis. It was there that Kennedy delivered a speech to not only confirm the horrific news but also bring a sense of peace to the inner city in the wake of tragedy. This documentary, available on MagellanTV, captures an extraordinary and often-misunderstood moment in American history.
"MLK/FBI" (2021)
Currently streaming on Prime Video, MLK/FBI is centered on newly declassified files of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. This documentary provides a deeper insight into the harassment by the government that Dr. King experienced in the final years of his life. It also takes a look at J. Edgar Hoover’s several attempts to not only cause disruption but to put a stop to King’s civil rights initiatives. Interviews from former FBI officials, King’s close circle and different scholars, the film suggests conflicting opinions about the FBI.
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"Legacy of Love" (2020)
Directed by Roberto Mighty, the documentary Legacy of Love takes a look back at how the love between Dr. King and Coretta Scott King came to be from their first interaction in Boston.
The documentary is just a glimpse into the timeline of when the civil rights leader was working on his doctorate from Boston University, Scott was attending the New England Conservatory of Music and how their love story was woven throughout it all.
Click here to find out where and when you can watch Legacy of Love on cable TV.
"Fannie Lou Hamer’s America" (2022)
Fannie Lou Hamer, the daughter of Mississippi sharecroppers, once called out police brutality, economic inequality, and voting rights in America on the national stage. Her initiatives were silenced for far too long, but now her story is coming to light.
Directed by Joy Davenport, the film is originated by Hamer’s family, including her great-niece Monica Land, and tells Hamer’s story in her own words with never-before-seen photos and rare footage.
Watch here.
