Gain inspiration and expand your historical knowledge of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. With your library card, you can stream dozens of films on Kanopy that explore the life and work of this extraordinary Civil Rights leader…just in time for his birthday.
Check out these suggestions for adults and some for kids, too!
For Adults
King: A Filmed Record (Parts I and II) Constructed from a wealth of archival footage, this monumental documentary follows Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from 1955 to 1968, in his rise from regional activist to world-renowned leader of the Civil Rights movement. Rare footage of King’s speeches, protests, and arrests are interspersed with scenes of other high-profile supporters and opponents of the cause, punctuated by heartfelt testimonials by some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. King was originally presented as a one-night-only special event on March 20, 1970, at an epic length of more than three hours (plus intermission). Newly restored by the Library of Congress, in association with Richard Kaplan, and utilizing film elements provided by The Museum of Modern Art, the original version of King can again be seen in its entirety, mastered from the 35mm preservation negative.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Historical Perspective He was the conscience of the struggle for civil rights–and one of its many heroic martyrs. This documentary offers a one-of-a-kind examination of Dr. King’s extraordinary life. Using rare and largely unseen film footage and photographs, this film (endorsed by the King Foundation) explores how Dr. King’s ideas, beliefs and methods evolved in the face of the rapidly changing climate of the Civil Rights Movement.
I Am Not Your Negro An Oscar-nominated documentary narrated by Samuel L. Jackson that explores the continued peril America faces from institutionalized racism. In 1979, James Baldwin wrote a letter to his literary agent describing his next project, Remember This House. The book was to be a revolutionary, personal account of the lives and successive assassinations of three of his close friends–Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. At the time of Baldwin’s death in 1987, he left behind only thirty completed pages of his manuscript. Now, in his incendiary new documentary, filmmaker Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished. The result is a radical, up-to-the-minute examination of race in America, using Baldwin’s original words and flood of rich archival material.
In Remembrance of Martin Personal comments from family, friends, and advisors fill this remarkable PBS documentary honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Coretta Scott King joins the Reverend Ralph Abernathy, Julian Bond, Jimmy Carter, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Senator Edward Kennedy, John Lewis, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and Andrew Young, who recall Dr. King’s career and trace his leadership in the civil rights movement.
For Kids
Martin’s Big Words Using quotes from some of his beloved speeches, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. comes to life in stunning collage art and vibrant watercolor paintings in this profound and important biography about beliefs and dreams and following one’s heart. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his own words, will inspire and affect you, too.
March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed the World Martin Luther King, Jr.’s sister presents a personal, stirring account of the remarkable day Dr. King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech and of the man who went on to inspire nation.