John Lewis Doc Coming to PBS in February

By Sameer Rao Jan 18, 2017

Georgia congressman and Civil Rights Movement leader John Lewis‘ nearly six decades of activism against White supremacy get the documentary treatment in a film screening on PBS next month.

Per The Los Angeles Times, PBS and Georgia Public Broadcasting announced yesterday (January 17) that "Get in the Way: The Journey of John Lewis" would air as part of PBS’ Black History Month programming suite. A summary on the film’s official website describes "Get in the Way" as "the first documentary biography" about Lewis.

The film’s trailer features archival footage and photos of the former Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) head during the 1960 Nashville Sit-ins, 1965 March from Selma to Montgomery and other anti-segregation actions that defined the Civil Rights Movement. That footage plays alongside recent clips of Lewis getting arrested at an immigration reform rally and testifying before Congress to restore the Voting Rights Act. Lewis contributes to the documentary with original commentary.

Lewis made headlines Saturday (January 14) for calling President-elect Donald Trump an "illegitimate president" and saying he would not attend the inauguration on NBC’s "Meet the Press." Trump struck back in several tweets, saying Lewis was "all talk talk talk—no action or results."

Director and producer Kathleen Dowdy ("Daddy’s Girl") financed the film in part through a successful 2014 Kickstarter campaign. "Get in the Way" has since screened as an official selection at the St. Louis International and Nashville International Black Film Festivals.

Watch the "Get in the Way" trailer before it airs on February 10 on PBS.