In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, USC will host a special screening of the documentary MLK/FBI on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m., followed by a discussion with filmmaker Sam Pollard, its Emmy-winning director.
Released in 2020, MLK/FBI is the first film to uncover the extent of the FBI’s surveillance and harassment of the civil rights leader. Based on newly discovered and declassified files, utilizing a trove of documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act and unsealed by the National Archives, as well as revelatory restored footage, the documentary explores the government’s history of targeting Black activists, and the contested meaning behind some of America’s most cherished ideals. Featuring interviews with key cultural figures including former FBI director James Comey, MLK/FBI tells this astonishing and tragic story with searing relevance to our current moment.
The event will be introduced by USC President Carol L. Folt and will feature a conversation with Pollard and USC Annenberg professor and award-winning journalist Miki Turner after the film to discuss the process of making the film, its impact, and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The event, which is part of USC’s Visions and Voices initiative, is free to the public and you can register here for it.