LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The four-part Muhammad Ali documentary by Ken Burns is set to premiere on KET on Sept. 19.
Due to concerns around COVID-19, the in-person reception and documentary preview have been canceled. However, before the film is available to the world, multiple events are planned to celebrate the release.
On Tuesday, Sept. 14, PBS and ESPN's The Undefeated will host a virtual conversation called "Ali, Celebrity & the Modern Athlete." The discussion, held on Zoom at 7 p.m. EST, will look at the nature of the modern athlete and celebrity through the lens of Muhammad Ali and the stars of today.
KET's Renee Shaw will hold a virtual panel discussion Thursday, Sept. 16 on Muhammad Ali's life and legacy in Kentucky. This conversation will be held on YouTube and Facebook starting at 7 p.m. EST.
Guests for this discussion include Carlos Dixon, Alice and Wade Houston, and Tori Murden McClure. Filmmakers from the documentary will also make a guest appearance before the premiere.
Registration and other information for both of these events are available at KET.org/Ali.
The Fund for the Arts is hosting the second annual Imagine Mural Festival on Sept. 18 and 19. For the festival, artists will come together to celebrate Ali and his six core principles.
This event will be held at ReSurfaced on West Main Street in downtown Louisville. More information is available at fundforthearts.org/muralfestival.
'Muhammad Ali' airs September 19-22 at 8 p.m. each night on PBS. The film will also be available to stream for free on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video App.
The documentary series lifts the curtain behind the most dramatic and widely viewed sporting events ever, including “The Fight of the Century” and “The Thrilla in Manila,” both against his great rival Joe Frazier, and “The Rumble in the Jungle,” in which he defeated George Foreman to regain the heavyweight title that was stripped from him seven years earlier.
While also capturing Ali’s principled resistance to the Vietnam War, his steadfast commitment to his Muslim faith, and his complex relationships with Elijah Muhammad and Malcolm X, who profoundly shaped his life and worldview.
For the documentary, Ken Burns used footage from the WHAS11 film archives. On Sept. 15, Doug Proffitt will go inside the archives for a special look at some of the earliest footage of "The Greatest." His special report will air at 11 p.m. on the WHAS11 NightTeam.
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