Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2022 is celebrated on Monday, January 17. Connecticut Public will honor the life and legacy of Dr. King with special programming.
On CPTV
With Infinite Hope: MLK and the Civil Rights Movement
Airing Monday, January 17 at 11 p.m.
With Infinite Hope looks back at the life, leadership, and legacy of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The program follows King’s career from his hiring at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and leadership of the Montgomery bus boycott, through his death on April 4, 1968 in Memphis. The documentary includes interviews with people who participated in well-known events of the civil rights movement: the Montgomery bus boycott, the Freedom Rides, the Birmingham Children’s March, Selma, and the Memphis sanitation workers strike.
On Connecticut Public Radio
MLK: Activism and the Arts
Airing Monday, January 17 at 9 a.m. & 8 p.m.
This year’s discussion will focus on how Dr. King leveraged the influence of artists in the civil rights movement, and how that legacy of activism in the arts continues today. Focusing on the long-standing connection between activism and artistry, participants will discuss how the struggle for social justice affected icons from Nina Simone to John Legend and how they, in turn, helped drive the struggle for social justice. This program is co-led by a roster of WNYC and WQXR hosts: Melissa Harris-Perry, host of WNYC Studios and PRX’s The Takeaway; WQXR host and author Terrance McKnight; Jami Floyd of WNYC’s Race and Justice Unit; Brian Lehrer, host of WNYC’s Brian Lehrer Show; Alison Stewart, host of WNYC’s All of It; and Kai Wright, host of The United States of Anxiety.
1963: A Man’s Dream, A Nation’s Nightmare (A Night Lights Classic Jazz Special)
Airing Monday, January 17 at 1 p.m. & 9 p.m.
The year was 1963, and in America, the civil rights movement continued to gain momentum in the face of turmoil and violence, culminating in Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. In this year of raised hopes and devastating tragedy, the world of jazz continued to reflect both the growing unease and the youthful vitality of a nation in transition. We’ll hear the music of John Coltrane, Jackie McLean, Eric Dolphy, and others.
Educational Resources
In addition to special programming airing on Connecticut Public, PBS LearningMedia has resources available to help teach kids about Dr. King, the civil rights movement, and more. Educators can visit PBS LearningMedia for short videos and related lesson plans, featuring American Icons: Martin Luther King, Jr., Retro Report: Dr. Martin Luther King at Gee’s Bend, and more.