History(TM) Presents 'KING' With Tom Brokaw

History(TM) 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(TM) on Sunday, April 6 at 8pm / 7C

NEW YORK, March 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Forty years after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at age 39, a new History(TM) 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(TM), announced that the two-hour special will premiere on History on Sunday, April 6 at 8pm/7C.

   (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080312/NYW110-a )   (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080312/NYW110-b )   (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051031/HISTORYLOGO )  

"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 Ben 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(R) Awards, 10 News & Documentary Emmy(R) Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History(R) 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 www.historychannelpress.com.

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Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080312/NYW110-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080312/NYW110-b
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051031/HISTORYLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
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Source: History(TM)

CONTACT: Lynn Gardner, +1-212-850-9322, Lynn.gardner@aetn.com, or Kathie
Gordon, +1-212-210-1320, or Kathie.Gordon@aetn.com, both for History(TM)

Web site: http://www.historychannelpress.com/
http://www.history.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment