Martin Luther King Jr.’s courage, hope, and determined commitment to end segregation is why he’s one of the most influential figures of all time. There are plenty of movies to watch on Martin Luther King Jr. Day that either feature the character of the American minister or portray the hardships surrounding the Civil Rights Movement. However, there are five great documentaries to see on Dr. King’s holiday that explore different aspects of this extraordinary man’s life and his meaningful work that shaped the country.
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery To Memphis (1970)
Selma was one of the best movies of 2014. Starring David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr., the Ava DuVernay film gave us a heartfelt biopic that portrayed the Montgomery voting rights marches. But, there’s also a stellar documentary that transports you to those historic moments.
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis is a documentary like no other where there are no interviews or narration except for celebrity monologues honoring the American activist. The American bio-doc lets the events speak for themselves through archival footage, speeches, and real-life movements.
The Oscar-nominated documentary starts from the Montgomery Bus Boycotts of 1955 to the news of Martin Luther King Jr.’s devastating assassination. We get to witness the Nobel Peace Prize winner in his true form, using the power of words to win over a crowd followed by generous applause after each speech. Audiences also get a glimpse of disturbing footage of violent opposition that disturbed the peaceful protests and advocated for Blacks and whites to be separated.
With a mix of uplifting moments and the mayhem of racism, King: A Filmed Record is an enduring tribute not only to the hard work Dr. King put into his mission but to everyone who dared to fight for what was right. Find the Sidney Lumet documentary with your Kanopy subscription or for rent on Amazon.
MLK/FBI (2020)
Most documentaries about Martin Luther King Jr. centered on the historical figure’s inspirational speeches and marches. Directed by Sam Pollard, who would be known later for the Netflix docuseries Bill Russell: Legend, MLK/FBI focuses more on the FBI trying to find dirt on the Nobel Peace Prize winner under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover. Through newly classified FBI files, he was labeled as a threat to national security and monitored extensively with phone tapping, bugging his hotel room, and threatening to exploit his extramarital affairs.
This documentary truly opened my eyes to things about Martin Luther King Jr.’s investigation by the FBI that I didn’t know before. It’s shocking how far law enforcement was willing to go to try to discredit the powerful activist; they chose to see him as a threat as opposed to a hero.
They even went as far as to send Dr. King a “suicide letter” urging him to kill himself as an intimidation tactic. As the 50-year protection order of the FBI tapes plans to be lifted in 2027, it’ll raise ethical questions on whether the FBI’s findings will speak volumes about the celebrated civil rights leader or the horribly extreme tactics of the FBI at the time. You can find MLK/FBI on AMC+ or Kanopy.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Historical Perspective (1994)
Originally released on home video, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Historical Perspective follows a more traditional approach to documentary filmmaking. Narrated by The Transformers voice actor Arthur Burghardt, we see some never-before-scene footage of Dr. King and elements of his life that weren’t covered in the previous documentaries.
We learn about how John F. Kennedy and the American minister may have had a complicated relationship. However, Kennedy still supported Dr. King’s Civil Rights Movement and helped his release from prison. We also see that the American activist was seen as a controversial figure to some as he showed his opposition towards the Vietnam War, further proving his fight for global peace.
The one-hour documentary also did a great job showing how in Dr. King’s 39 years of life, he helped open the doors for Black people to have positions in office. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: A Historical Perspective is available on Kanopy or to stream with your Amazon Prime subscription.
I Am MLK Jr. (2018)
If you’re looking for a documentary where you hear personal accounts of Martin Luther King Jr. from his closest friends and fans, I Am MLK Jr. would be the movie. Made by Network Entertainment, I Am MLK Jr. has a series of interviews from friends, civil rights activists, writers, sports and entertainment figures who spoke about what a leading figure Dr. King was in trying to make things better for Blacks. They also gave their perspectives on witnessing the brutal violence faced by protestors and how important it was to continue his legacy of fighting for justice today.
The scene that got me the most in I Am MLK Jr. was when they all examined the moment that Dr. King gave his last speech and the certainty he had on his face that he wasn’t going to live a long life because of keeping up with his movement. But like Congressman John Lewis said in the doc, Dr. King taught us how to live and how to die. Each personal account can teach audiences the profound effect that the American minister had on ending segregation and that one person really can make a difference. This documentary is available for free to stream on The CW.
King In The Wilderness (2018)
With a similar vibe to I Am MLK Jr. in terms of interviews, King in the Wilderness stands out for showing Martin Luther King’s last two years before his assassination. While plenty of documentaries highlight all of Dr. King’s significant achievements, the HBO documentary shows how the Civil Rights activist was dealing with a lot of overwhelming stress.
According to Dr. King’s close friends and colleagues like Andrew Young, Harry Belafonte, and John Lewis, the historical figure was facing backlash due to his stance against the Vietnam War. Many of his followers turned their backs on Dr. King, feeling his politics distracted him from his racial justice efforts.
This led to the march leader feeling betrayed and isolated from fellow civil rights leaders and political allies like Lyndon B. Johnson. Despite all of the tension he was experiencing, Dr. King still pushed through and didn’t back down from his opinions or commitment to justice. Feel free to watch this invigorating documentary on your Max subscription.
What all of these documentaries on Martin Luther King Jr. can teach us is that the Civil Rights leader is more than just an inspirational speaker with a powerful voice. As each movie explores the true complex character of Dr. King through archival footage, testimonials, and different aspects of the activist’s life, we learn that he had his own set of struggles, sacrifices, and political challenges.
But, a great reason a holiday is dedicated to the Nobel Peace Prize winner is because of his persistence to fight peacefully for equality. It’s because of Dr. King that activists have the courage today to bring change where it’s most needed.
