More than 70 African American-related Television and Radio Programs to Air
Four local heroes to be honored in awards ceremony February 7; Ceremony broadcast February 25
KQED proudly celebrates African American culture and heritage during Black History Month this February. The month-long commemoration includes special programming and an event honoring four local heroes for their outstanding accomplishments and exemplary service within their communities.
For more than a decade, KQED and Union Bank have partnered each February to celebrate Black History Month by honoring community leaders with Local Hero Awards. The four new honorees were chosen based on their outstanding contributions to their local communities and the Bay Area community at large. The 2012 Black History Month honorees are: Frank O. Brown M.D. (The Hillcare Foundation for Health); Edna James (OMI Community Action Organization); Don Johnson (Los Paseos Lobsters); and Harlan L. Kelly Jr. (San Francisco Public Utilities Commission).
The special evening of recognition will be filmed and broadcast Saturday, February 25, at 6pm on KQED 9. The broadcast will be repeated multiple times over the course of the following week: on Sunday, February 26, at 11am on KQED Life, at 4pm on KQED Plus and at 7pm on KQED 9; Monday, February 27, at 1am on KQED 9 and 4pm on KQED Plus; and on Wednesday, February 29, at 9pm on KQED Life.
“Union Bank is honored to again partner with KQED to formally recognize the achievements of these local heroes in our community,” said Pierre Habis, senior executive vice president and head of Community Banking at Union Bank. “These individuals have made enormous contributions to their communities, and they exemplify our core values of diversity and community involvement. We are pleased to be a part of this celebration that highlights the honorees’ dedication and the tremendous efforts they make every day.”
“KQED is thrilled to join our long-term partner Union Bank as we celebrate the 2012 local heroes,” said John L. Boland, president of KQED. “These inspiring individuals exemplify a tireless commitment to the local African American community and to the Bay Area community at large. We are also pleased to introduce them to our viewers through the video profiles airing on KQED throughout Black History Month, as we also celebrate with programming that focuses on African American themes and culture.”
Also in celebration of Black History Month, KQED will offer more 70 programs that focus on African American themes and culture. Some of the month's highlights include:
KQED Public Radio
88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa, 88.1 FM in Martinez
Also available on Comcast digital cable channel 960 and live online at kqed.org
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. — Assassination & Legacy
Thursday, February 2, at 8pm
This final program in a Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) series about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. covers the reaction to his death and some thoughts about his legacy. It begins with a CBC news special from April 4, 1968.
- Rubin Carter’s Hurricane
Saturday, February 18, at 1pm
Rubin “Hurricane” Carter is an African American former boxer who was wrongly convicted of a triple homicide – then exonerated after 19 years in prison in a ruling affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court. The judge who freed him (interviewed for this program) cited racial bias in the prosecution. In this story, based on Carter’s new memoir, Eye of the Hurricane, we hear how he transcended the “inner prison” of hatred, self-hatred and playing “the victim.”
KQED Public Television
All presentations are on KQED 9.
- Slavery By Another Name
Monday, February 13, at 10pm
Slavery By Another Name reveals the interlocking forces that enabled “neoslavery” to persist from 1865 to 1945.
- The Interrupters (Frontline)
Tuesday, February 14, at 10pm
Part of KQED’s acclaimed Frontline series, this program features a group of former gang members trying to “interrupt” shootings and protect their communities from the violence they once committed.
- Everyday Sunshine (Truly CA: Our State, Our Stories)
Sunday, February 19, at 5:30pm
Laurence Fishburne narrates this entertaining documentary about the black punk band, Fishbone, comprised of fiercely individual artists who seek to reclaim their musical legacy while debunking the myths of young black men from urban America.
- Sam Cooke: Crossing Over (American Masters)
Sunday, February 19, at 7pm
From KQED’s award-winning American Masters series, Cooke’s blend of gospel and pop altered the course of popular music and race relations in America.
- Memphis (Great Performances)
Thursday, February 24, at 9pm
Winner of the 2010 Tony Award for Best New Musical, Memphis turns the radio dial back to the 1950s to tell the story of a white DJ whose love for music transcends race lines and airwaves.
Program listings and descriptions for February can be found in the KQED Black History Month Resource Guide, online at www.kqed.org/heritage.
ABOUT THE 2012 LOCAL HEROES: