Streaming Video

Below are links to select films and film clips that celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, his life, and his legacy. Some of these films and clips are from, Films on Demand is a streaming video database of thousands of educational films, documentaries, and news programs. Films on Demand is available for on-campus and remote use by current UA students, faculty, staff and emeritus only.

Films on Demand
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: The Making of a Holiday Paying lip service to Dr. King’s message is one thing, creating a national holiday is quite another. This is the story of how Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, birthday became a national holiday—of the unrelenting drive of his widow, Coretta Scott King, to carry on his work; of politicians (especially Representative John Conyers, Jr.) determined to memorialize Dr. King and offer hope as the alternative to black rage at his assassination; of the ultimately silly arguments against the holiday (such as the economic cost of lost man-hours of work). Rare documentary footage and interviews follow the chronology of events, while the participation of Stevie Wonder, Bill Cosby, Harry Belafonte, Diana Ross, and host LeVar Burton provides the program with genuine celebration. From King’s "I Have a Dream" speech to Stevie Wonder’s "Happy Birthday, Martin," this is an engaging look at the making of a holiday. (28 minutes)

Films from the Web
(free access)

King In The Wilderness: The Last Years of MLK Jr.’s Life – Full Film (HBO) Through personal stories of the people who were around him, this film follows Martin Luther King, Jr. during the last years of his life. HBO - Orginals
How Did Martin Luther King Jr. Get a Holiday? (PBS) Did you know Martin Luther King Jr Day wasn’t celebrated in all 50 states until 2000? And that in order to create the holiday honoring the civil rights leader we needed help from Stevie Wonder and the National Football League. Why was this the case? Well MLK Jr, wasn’t beloved by everyone during his life and winning the battle to create a holiday in his honor took a lot of work. How did it all happen? Watch the episode to find out. PBS )rigins - PBS - Origins
Free at Last – Martin Luther King, Jr. (PBL/PBS) This Emmy Award-winning, cinema-verite film premiered in April 1968, within days of King's assassination. Produced by NET's Public Broadcasting Laboratory, it provides an insightful, behind-the-scenes portrait of the man and his mission – as Dr. King toured southern black communities, planning and organizing the Poor Peoples’ Campaign and March on Washington. Aired 04/23/2018 ( 1h 27m 58s Video has Closed Captions)