Martin Luther King Day – Special Programming Jan. 20 & 21

WJFF marks the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday with more than 14 hours of special programming on two days – Sunday and Monday January 20 and 21.

Hear King in his own words, stories from those who knew him, people who shared in his cause, as well as the music that inspired King and the music that he inspired.

SUNDAY, January 20:

2p – Blues in the Mississippi Night: Songs & Stories for MLK Day
Artists like Sam Cooke, The Neville Brothers, Johnny Copeland, B. B. King, Big Bill Broonzy, and others share songs & stories that connect with the spirit of the Martin Luther King Day holiday.
Airs in place of Sinner’s Crossroads

3p – Three Landmark MLK Speeches
King scholars discuss and play excerpts from three of Dr. King’s speeches: “Selma to Alabama,” “Beyond Vietnam,” and “The Mountaintop Speech.” From Peace Talks Radio.

9p – Martin Luther King Jr.’s Path To Nonviolence
Dr. Dorothy Cotton, former Educational director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the late Yolanda King, eldest daughter of Dr. King, reflect on how MLK developed into a great moral and political philosopher on this episode of Peace Talks Radio.

10p – Upfront Soul – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Edition
Host Sanguine Fromage honors the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with two hours of funk, soul, jazz, and gospel, along with excerpts of King’s speeches and field recordings from the African-American civil rights movement. Airs in place of Concierto

MONDAY, January 21:

9a – The Second Battle of Selma
This 1965 documentary includes rare audio of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the march on Selma. Go behind the scenes for a jaw-dropping experience that puts you there as history is made. From the Pacifica Radio Archives series From The Vault.
Airs in place of BBC Newshour

10a – A Beautiful Symphony of Brotherhood: A Musical Journey in the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
A special hour of music, speeches, and sermons from WQXR and WNYC illustrating the powerful place that music held in King’s and the role musicians played in his cause. Hosted by Terrance McKnight.
Airs in place of Performance Today

11a – The Janus Adams Show: Thank You, Dr. King
Janus Adams and a panel of distinguished guests mark fifty years since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King with a panel discussion about what led up to that moment, what happened afterward, and it means to us now.
Airs in place of Performance Today

Noon – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. London 1964
When Dr. King was invited to London to talk about South Africa, he addressed a packed City Temple Hall in London. This is his full speech, recorded December 7, 1964. From the Pacifica Radio Archives series From The Vault.
Airs in place of The Retro Cocktail Hour

1p – Dear Martin: Jazz Tributes to MLK
A musical salute to jazz fan Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with Oliver Nelson, Duke Ellington, Mary Lou Williams, and a Nina Simone performance recorded just three days after King’s assassination. Produced for Night Lights on WFIU.

2:30p – Martin Luther King Jr. Massey Lecture #1
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the featured lecturer at Canada’s prestigious annual Massey lectures in November 1967. His theme was “Conscience for Change.” This is the first of five lectures. Produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Airs in place of With Good Reason

3p – King’s Last March
This documentary focuses on King’s last year of activism with archival tape, oral histories and contemporary interviews. From American Public Media.
Airs in place of City Arts & Lectures

6p – King Stories
Close friends and associates of Dr. King (Ralph Abernathy, David Garrow, Dick Gregory, Mark Lane, Larry Williams, and host Julian Bond) share stories that reveal the personal and private sides of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Airs in place of Fresh Air

8:30p – Martin Luther King Jr. Massey Lecture #2
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the featured lecturer at Canada’s prestigious annual Massey lectures in November 1967. His theme was “Conscience for Change.” This is the second of five lectures. Produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Airs in place of T.U.C. Radio

9p – April 4, 1967: King’s Riverside Speech, “Beyond Vietnam”
King comes out in opposition to the war in Vietnam, outlining the connection between the civil rights movement and the cause of peace. He maintained this anti-war stance publicly until his assassination exactly one year later.
Airs in place of First Voices Indigenous Radio

10p – The Second Battle of Selma
This 1965 documentary includes rare audio of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the march on Selma. Go behind the scenes for a jaw-dropping experience that puts you there as history is made. From the Pacifica Radio Archives series From The Vault.
Airs in place of Law & Disorder