Watch the 'MLK Now' Celebration (Livestream)

Hollywood stars including Octavia Spencer, Michael B. Jordan and Chris Rock will come together on Monday to celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

The free event, hosted by Blackout for Human Rights and the Campaign for Black Male Achievement, is called “MLK Now” and will be held at Harlem’s Riverside Church, where Dr. King delivered his famous 1967 speech “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence.”

Some of today’s leading actors and influencers will offer interpretations of Dr. King’s most well-known speeches at the event.

Also read: MLK Day: 9 Most Inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. Memes

There will also be musical performances by India Arie and others, and the day will close with an interactive panel discussion addressing how Dr. King’s message can be applied to the pressing social issues of today, including police violence, racial and social injustice, economic inequality and political mobilization.

Panelists will include “Creed” director Ryan Coogler, “Creed” actress Tessa Thompson, hip-hop artist J. Cole, Urban Cusp founder and publisher Rahiel Tesfamariam, Arab-American Association of New York executive director Linda Sarsour, Million Hoodies Movement for Justice executive director Dante Barry, filmmaker and Sakofa.org co-director Gina Belafonte and activist Leon Ford, Jr. The panel will be moderated by MSNBC National Reporter Trymaine Lee.

9 Documentaries to Watch for Martin Luther King Jr Day (Photos)

"King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis" (1970)
Sidney Lumet's 1970 documentary features celebrity narrators telling the story Martin Luther King Jr. during the period of the Civil Rights Movement.
Kino Lorber
"Malcolm X" (1972)
The Academy Award-nominated "Malcolm X" from director Arnold Perl documents the life and death of the civil rights leader.
Warner Bros.
"Eyes on the Prize" (1987)
PBS' 14-hour documentary "Eyes on the Prize" originally aired in 1987. The series, narrated by Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee founding member Julian Bond tells the story of the U.S. Civil Rights movement from 1954-65.
PBS
"Freedom on My Mind" (1994)
The Oscar-nominated "Freedom on My Mind," produced and directed by Connie Field and Marilyn Mulford, chronicles the Mississippi voter registration struggles of 1961 to 1964.
Clarity Films
"Neshoba" (2008)
The 2008 documentary "Neshoba" from directors Micki Dickoff and Tony Pagano examines the racial attitudes of Neshoba County residents 40 years after the murder of 3 civil rights workers by the hands of the Ku Klux Klan.
First Run Features
"Soundtrack for a Revolution" (2009)
Bill Guttentag's 2009 documentary, featuring contemporary artists like The Roots and John Legend, takes a look at the role music played during the U.S. Civil Rights Movement.
Freedom Song Productions
"Freedom Riders" (2010)
Stanley Nelson's 2010 documentary, produced by Firelight Media for PBS American Experience, marked the 50th anniversary of the civil rights activists who challenged racial segregation by riding buses into the Deep South.
PBS
"The March" (2013)
Narrated by Denzel Washington and directed by John Akomfrah, 2013's "The March" features interviews with organizers and attendees of Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic march on Washington D.C. in 1963.
PBS
"MLK/FBI" (2020)

Based on newly declassified materials, including thousands of hours of audio recordings, Sam Pollard explores the FBI's extensive surveillance of King -- and the personal flaws that the bureau hoped to exploit to bring him down.
IFC Films

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From ”King: A Filmed Record“ to ”Freedom Riders,“ the story of the U.S. civil rights movement is told through film

"King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis" (1970)
Sidney Lumet's 1970 documentary features celebrity narrators telling the story Martin Luther King Jr. during the period of the Civil Rights Movement.

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9 Documentaries to Watch for Martin Luther King Jr Day (Photos)

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