12:00: Special programming: "Martin Luther King: The Pan-Africanist - Restitution & Reconciliation in a Global State of Emergency"
1:00: Special programming: "ISeeU: MLK Day-Seeing (Me) Is Believing"
We bring you special programming on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
In the first hour, now in its 20th year, WNYC’s annual celebration honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. returns to The Apollo with "MLK: The Pan-Africanist — Restitution & Reconciliation in a Global State of Emergency." This landmark anniversary event explores Dr. King’s enduring impact through the lens of his 1957 journey to Ghana — where he witnessed the birth of a free African nation and deepened his commitment to global liberation. Anchored in that historic moment, the program traces King’s vision alongside the modern call for justice reflected in the National Urban League’s Civil Rights: State of Emergency report. Through conversation, performance, and reflection, this year’s gathering connects the struggle against colonialism and segregation to today’s fights for equity, freedom, and dignity across the African Diaspora. Together, we examine restitution and reconciliation not as distant ideals, but as urgent imperatives—linking Accra to Atlanta, and the global past to our shared present.
Then in our second hour, when Tami Charles’ son was in kindergarten, he asked her: “If Dr. King was such a good guy who wanted all these wonderful things for everyone, Mommy, why did the bad guys hurt him?” She knew then that she would need some tools to talk about racism to a young child. So, the former New Jersey school teacher penned an award-winning children's book, "All Because You Matter," to help her navigate the intense conversations with her son—like THE TALK, about how Black children must learn how to interact with the police to make sure they survive. As we honor and pay tribute to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on this national holiday weekend, many Black American parents are taking this opportunity to educate their children—and have THE TALK, an unguarded conversation about racism, discrimination and the richness of Black culture. Join Host Eddie Robinson as he chats candidly with Charles, who sheds light on the obstacles she's experienced as a woman of color in the children's book industry. Her latest book, "We Are Here," celebrates the extraordinary history of trailblazers, including Dr. King, who sacrificed their lives in hopes of building a better future for all people.
