Monday, January 18, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Here are a few ways to honor the civil rights leader’s legacy with films and live stream events.
Free Screening of ‘MLK/FBI’
In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Hamptons Doc Fest will offer a free screening of Sam Pollard’s documentary “MLK/FBI.” The virtual screening is presented in collaboration with The Eastville Community Historical Society and The Southampton African American Museum. The film is followed by a Q&A with Pollard, hosted by Variety’s Awards Editor Clayton Davis.
Based on newly-discovered and declassified files, the film is the first to uncover the extent of the FBI’s surveillance of Dr. King, and other Black activists during the civil rights movement.
The film is available to watch online on Monday, from noon to midnight, for viewers living in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
The Fierce Urgency of Now
WNYC and the Apollo Theater presents “MLK and the Fierce Urgency of Now.” The 15th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration is part of the Apollo’s Uptown Hall series.
“This year’s digital version of the MLK Apollo Uptown Hall will unpack the implications of the 2020 US Presidential Election through the prisms of civil rights and modern day social justice movements,” reads the Apollo’s website.
Co-hosts Brian Lehrer, Jami Floyd, and Tanzina Vega will present in-depth interviews with political leaders, artists, authors, and activists, to “examine Dr. Martin Luther King’s civil rights philosophy, tactics, challenges, and triumphs within the lens of today’s social and political climate.”
Tune in on Monday at 3 PM on the Apollo Digital Stage or Facebook Live.
‘Reflect and to Move Towards the Future’
Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, and BRIC will join together to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with the 35th Annual Brooklyn Tribute.
This year will host a digital version of the annual event — a free virtual program featuring world-renowned activists, civic leaders, and public figures, as well as musicians and other performers. Viewers around the world can join for New York City’s largest public celebration of Dr. King’s legacy.
“After a painful year, we take this moment to reflect and to move towards the future,” reads the BAM website. “We draw inspiration from Dr. King’s words, his life, and the actions of those around us who continue the fight for equality and justice.”
A keynote address will be made by Alicia Garza, the author of “The Purpose of Power,” principal at Black Futures Lab, and co-founder of the Black Lives Matter Global Network. There will also be performances by Grammy winner PJ Morton, Tarriona “Tank” Ball, Sing Harlem!, poets Timothy DuWhite and Ashley August, and many others.
NY Social Justice Film Festival
Cinematters: NY Social Justice Film Festival will hold a screening of “Shared Legacies,” a 2020 documentary telling the story of the alliance between the Jewish and African-American communities during the Civil Rights Movement, followed by a Q&A, on Monday at 2 PM.
The film is presented by the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan, the Jewish Museum, and Film at Lincoln Center. Viewers can join director Dr. Shari Rogers, Susannah Heschel, and Reverend Jacques Andre De Graff to discuss the film, moderated by Yolanda Savage-Narva.
At 4 PM, there will be a screening of “Black Boys,” a film directed by Sonia Lowman that exposes the dehumanization of Black boys and men in the United States. A Q&A will follow with Lowman, along with producer Jon-Thomas Royston and Yusef Salaam.
The festival will screen “John Lewis: Good Trouble” at 6 PM. The film is directed by Dawn Porter and chronicles the life and career of Lewis, the legendary “Big Six” leader of the civil rights movement and Democratic Representative from Georgia. The film will be followed by a Q&A with Ben Aron, Wanda Mosley, and Myrna Perez, and moderated by Brittany Luse.
Visit the website to register.
Rogers Memorial Library Reading
The Rogers Memorial Library in Southampton presents a pre-recorded version of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s full speech, read by the library staff. The reading will be set against historical photographs celebrating his life and accomplishments.
The video will be available on Monday via the library’s YouTube channel.
