There isn’t a better way to celebrate Black History Month than spotlighting one of the most important entries in the National Geographic GENIUS series, MLK/X. The beauty and the passion poured into this series, offers an intimate look into their complex lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. as husbands, fathers, brothers and sons, taking them off the iconic T-shirts to show their humanity.
As seen in this exclusive clip from episode from episode 4 “Watch the Throne” written by Maria Warith-Wade and directed by Crystle Roberson, MLK is finally going back to work hiatus, but Coretta is worried for his safety. Hoping to lighten the mood, Martin tells a joke that Corretta doesn’t find funny. Furthermore, as the president of SCLC, Martin struggles to find a balance between active and passive resistance, relying on his faith for guidance. Malcolm is absorbed in his work, which creates strife for Betty and challenges his relationship with Elijah Muhammad.
GENIUS: MLK/X follows both Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre) from their formative years, where they were molded by strong fathers and traumatic injustices, to their rich, parallel stories as they shaped their identities and became the change they wished to see in the world. The docu-drama series offers an intimate look into their complex lives as husbands, fathers, brothers and sons, taking them off the iconic T-shirts to show their humanity.
This series brings their wives, Coretta Scott King (Weruche Opia) and Betty Shabazz (Jayme Lawson), who are often portrayed as peripheral figures, to the forefront and shows them as formidable equals of the Movement. Episodes will explore the moments between the monumental historical events we’ve come to know and shine a light on how each leader and those closest to them questioned their resolve and decisions as they navigated the rigors of balancing a public persona with a private life. While King and X met only once and often challenged each other’s views, neither would have been as successful without the other.
The first two episodes of the series premiered February 1st on National Geographic and streamed the next day on Disney+ and Hulu, with two new episodes debuting weekly on all platforms. The powerful, eight-part limited series is produced by 20th Television, Imagine Television and Undisputed Cinema.
