Martin Luther King Weekend 2022

Radio Catskill marks the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend with 16 hours of special programming January 15, 16 and 17.

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.

SATURDAY, January 15:

Noon – DOCUMENTARY – The Second Battle of Selma
You are there, in the heart of the movement as Dr. Martin Luther King, civil rights leaders, and busloads of activists plan their next move after the “Bloody Sunday” Edmunds Pettus Bridge attacks as they continue to march to Montgomery. From the Pacifica Archives. Airs in place of The Janus Adams Show

SUNDAY, January 16:

6p – DOCUMENTARY – 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 Selected Shorts

7p – MUSIC – 1963: A Man’s Dream, A Nation’s Nightmare
It was a year of raised hopes and devastating tragedy, and the world of jazz continued to reflect all of these ups and downs in America. This brand new hour-long jazz special features John Coltrane, Jackie McLean, Eric Dolphy, and others. From Night Lights Classic Jazz, WFIU. Airs in place of Sunday Stage.

8p – MUSIC – Martin Luther King Jr. (A Musical Remembrance)
An hour of music commemorating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., including some of the world’s greatest Jazz musicians who composed and performed for Dr. King. From the series Jazz Time. Airs in place of Return to the Source

9p – DOCUMENTARY – The King of Love: A Short History of the Civil Rights Movement
A 90-minute audio collage of the struggle for civil rights focusing on the role of Dr. Martin Luther King. Produced by the late Dred-Scott Keyes. Airs in place of Return to the Source

10:30p – SPEECH – “Conscience of Change” Part 2
The second of Dr. Martin Luther King’s five half-hour talks given for the Massey Lectures series. These speeches were broadcast on five nights in November 1967 on CBC Radio. He talks about race relations, the war in Vietnam, social action, and more.

11p – MUSIC – 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. From Night Lights, WFIU.

MONDAY, January 18:

9a – MLK – ACTIVISM AND THE ARTS
WNYC’s 16th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration, “MLK – Activism and the Arts” explores how Dr. King leveraged artists’ influence for the civil rights movement and how the struggle for social justice affected icons from Nina Simone to John Legend, and vice-versa. Guests: Rev. Al Sharpton, Hon. Andrew Young, Trezana Beverly, Najee Dorsey, Jacqueline Woodson, Jonathan McCrory, Garrett McQueen, Rashad Robinson, and Damion Thomas. Airs in place of BBC Newshour

10a – SPEECHES – “But If Not,” “Men & Women In The Arts Concerned with Vietnam”
Two speeches from the Pacifica Archives. “But If Not,” delivered at Ebeneezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, November 1967. And Dr. King’s last speech in Los Angeles, given in a house full of concerned artists, with James Baldwin introducing Dr. King.
Airs in place of Performance Today

11a – MUSIC – A Beautiful Symphony of Brotherhood: A Musical Journey in the Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
A special hour of music, speeches, and sermons illustrating the powerful place that music held in King’s life and the role musicians played in his cause. Hosted by Terrance McKnight. From WQXR and WNYC. Airs in place of Performance Today

NOON – MUSIC – Upfront Soul, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Edition
Sanguine Fromage’s annual tribute to the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with two hours of funk, soul, jazz, and gospel, along with excerpts of Dr. King’s speeches and field recordings from the African-American civil rights movement. Airs in place of Undercurrents

2p – DOCUMENTARY – 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. Airs in place of On Being.

630p – The Local Edition MLK Special

First delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963, the famous and impactful “I Have A Dream” speech will be presented by Oliver King followed by a discussion led by Sandra Johnson Fields, President of the Sullivan County NAACP chapter. This is a rebroadcast from the Ethelbert B. Crawford Public Library.

7p – MLK – ACTIVISM AND THE ARTS
WNYC’s 16th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day celebration, “MLK – Activism and the Arts” explores how Dr. King leveraged artists’ influence for the civil rights movement and how the struggle for social justice affected icons from Nina Simone to John Legend, and vice-versa. Guests: Rev. Al Sharpton, Hon. Andrew Young, Trezana Beverly, Najee Dorsey, Jacqueline Woodson, Jonathan McCrory, Garrett McQueen, Rashad Robinson, and Damion Thomas. Airs in place of La Voz en Breve

8p – DOCUMENTARY – King’s Last March
In Dr. King’s last year of activism he was tackling bigger issues than ever, yet this crucial period is too often overlooked. This hour documentary tells the story with archival tape, oral histories and contemporary interviews. From American Public Media. Airs in place of 51% and This Way Out

9p – SPEECH – “America’s Chief Moral Dilemma”
Dr. King speaks on the immorality of America’s involvement in Vietnam. Recorded on the Sproul Hall steps, UC Berkeley, May 17, 1967. From the Pacifica Archives.