Soledad O’Brien speaks with Dallas South about upcoming CNN special on King Assassination
Categories: African-American, Dallas South Top 5, Featured, Interviews, Media
Written By: Shawn Williams
Dallas South is excited to share with you an interview I conducted with CNN Anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien. We talked about tonight’s special airing at 8 p.m. Central on CNN titled The King Assassination:Witness to Murder.
You can click on the sound tab below to hear the entire 10 minute interview.
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I started the interview by asking how the CNN Special came about. Here’s her response:
The project really came about more than a year ago because of our bosses at CNN, who thought more than a year ago that it was time to (take) a look at the opportunities and obstacles that African-Americans have had in this country. And the timing would work out well if you looked down a year and you saw it was the 40th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. King. So it begs the question…what has happened since his assassination?
I then asked her if she saw any differences in the way the media covered African-Americans since the Jena 6 rally.
If there has been a change, i don’t think it’s bee a seismic change. I think what’s made a big change, actually, is the election. Because some of the issues that have come up in the election are issues that involve black and brown people. People are bringing more of those voices on T.V. where we really haven’t seen them.
Please take a few minutes to hear this awesome interview (and hear her thoughts on the role of black preachers and churches). If you like what you hear, leave a comment to let Soledad know who much we appreciate her and the work that she does. And give me a pass on the first 30 seconds of the interview…I was really nervous.
April 3rd, 2008 at 2:49 pm
TiVo Link. Click it for online scheduling.
April 3rd, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Dallas South,
I sat and listening to this interview over my evening cup of coffee. It is an informative piece of work.
Soledad has peaked my interest in this particular broadcast. I was born in the 1950’s and I grew up with the struggle as the background story of my life.
I normally do not watch specials on that era of time. The view of those moments are often just too much for me to take. It reminds me of the fear and uncertainty that always lingered in my mind. I was a child who really did not understand that type of cruelity and hatered towards people of our race.
It also sounds like there is going to be a different focus. This is a good thing. We need to really look at MLK and at Malcolm X too. Because they both evolved and changed as time passed by.
Soledad raised some important historical points in her answers. I am glad to hear that the role of the church in terms of activism was brought up. We need to be more involved in the situations and lives of people.
Thanks for sharing this. You did fine !
April 3rd, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Go homie - you’re doing big things!
April 3rd, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Thanks so much for posting interview with Soledad - also thanks Dallassouth for all that you do in keeping us informed daily. This has most definitely made it to my top five list and I’m looking forward to the other specials as indicated.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:11 am
I appreciate Soledad’s contributions to CNN’s documentary dept. There has been a marked changed in the tone and tenor. I find that when given a chance to have our perspective heard in the main stream museum, greater understanding and conciliation follows. Great interview. I look forward to hearing more of Soledad’s work.
As a post-script, I’d like to see Soledad do some investigation into the areas of Black and Brown reconciliation, Reparations, and a general Truth and Reconciliation movement in America (patterned after Bishop Tutu and South Africa, only with more teeth. )
April 4th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Great and informative interview. I look for more of the CNN specials. Thanks for keeping me informed.
April 4th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Thanks Shawn, awesome interview! Thanks again for keeping the southern sector of Dallas County informed. I think Soledad did an awesome job. “Witness to a Murder” has peaked my interest. I thought I knew about Dr. King’s assassination. However, after watching this first piece, I found I don’t know anything about what really took place. So much was not revealed in my learning’s in church and school. I will not waste time with naming them. In conclusion, I’m one of the ones who has been brain washed into thinking that Dr. King legacy stopped in 1963! Rests assure that I will be surfing and buying books to become more informed of the true happenings from 1963 to 1968 as it relates to Dr. King.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
My family will be featured in this series. Will keep you posted when a date is set.
April 4th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Awesome interview. Keep up the great work. Our truth is only told when we tell it…..
April 4th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Thank you for sharing this, excellent job and although this may be normal to you, it is very impressive to me. Your questions and the stature of your interview subject. Congratulations!!! Keep hope alive
April 4th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Great interview cuz. Keep up the wonderful work. I was very, very impressed.
April 5th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I had talked to some folks who mentioned how the sound in the interview cuts out a little towards the end, thinking that the call was dropping or something.
To pull the curtain back a little, I was conducting the interview sitting in my car over the phone. Well when you hear some noise around minute 7 or 8, it had actually started raining outside. I prayed that it wouldn’t last, and it was only a sprinkle, but that’s what you’re hearing - Rain hitting the top of the car.
April 7th, 2008 at 7:41 am
AWESOME!!!!
Take a look at this tribute to Dr. King and Rosa Parks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyK3rqQobN0
April 14th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I saw your special on Dr. King’s assassination and thought it was outstanding. I hear you are going to do another special relative to blacks, i.e. the present status of blacks in the U.S. I have written to Opray, Montel, Anderson Cooper, etal, without any response. I would appreciate very much if you would air my story. story. It’s incredible.
July 6th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Fro the Black Buddhist perspective on CNN’s series on black America check out my blog:
http://originalblackbuddha.blogspot.com/2008/07/special-reports-black-in-america.html