The Paley Center for Media Announces Its New Exhibit: Paley Celebrates National Geographic’s Genius: MLK/X—Two Minds, One Movement
Wednesday, January 17, 2024
A Black History Month Experience Presented by Citi®
at The Paley Museum in Midtown Manhattan
The Paley Museum Will Host the New York Premiere of the Series on February 1
This Exclusive Exhibit Will Run February 1 through March 3, 2024
New York, NY, January 17, 2024 – The Paley Center for Media announced today that it will present a new exhibit for Black History Month: Paley Celebrates National Geographic’s Genius: MLK/X—Two Minds, One Movement. This Black History Month Experience Presented by Citi is based on the highly anticipated newest installment of the Emmy Award-winning anthology series that will premiere February 1 on National Geographic and stream on Disney+ and Hulu the next day. The first episode of the new season, “Graduation,” will also simulcast on ABC Feb. 1 at 9/8c. The exhibit experience will open on Thursday, February 1 and run through March 3, 2024, at The Paley Museum located at 25 West 52 Street.
Genius: MLK/X focuses on icons Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (Kelvin Harrison Jr.) and Malcolm X (Aaron Pierre), and how their dueling philosophies helped usher America through the Civil Rights Movement. The series follows both King and X from their formative years as they shaped their identities and became the change they wished to see in the world. The docudrama 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. Genius: MLK/X explores the moments between the monumental historic events we’ve come to know and shine a light on how these leaders questioned their resolve and decisions as they navigate the rigors of balancing a public persona with a private life.
Genius: MLK/X is once again produced by 20th Television with Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Television, as well as the company’s president of Television, Kristen Zolner, along with the award-winning duo Reggie Rock Bythewood (“Swagger,” “Shots Fired”) and Gina Prince-Bythewood (“The Woman King,” “Shots Fired”), who are responsible for groundbreaking films and series under their production company Undisputed Cinema. Raphael Jackson Jr. and Damione Macedon (“Power,” “Mosquito Coast”) are showrunners and executive producers.
“Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcom X were trailblazers who changed the course of the Civil Rights Movement. Their bravery and determination are perfectly captured in this important new series from National Geographic,” said Maureen J. Reidy, the Paley Center’s President and CEO. “We’re thrilled to offer visitors to The Paley Museum this behind-the-scenes look at Genius: MLK/X and we extend our deepest thanks to our presenting sponsor Citi for their generous support of this exclusive exhibit.”
Genius: MLK/X, will feature costumes, props, and set pieces from the series, immersing visitors into the inspiring world of both leaders and the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. To kick off the opening of the exhibit, The Paley Museum will host the New York premiere of the series with the cast and creative team from the series on Thursday, February 1 at 6:30 pm at The Paley Museum. This event is exclusive for select level Paley Members and will feature a screening of the first episode of Genius: MLK/X, followed by a discussion with members of the cast and creative team that will highlight the series and legacies of both icons. Participating in the discussion will be Genius: MLK/X actors Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), Aaron Pierre (Malcolm X), Weruche Opia (Coretta Scott King), and Jayme Lawson (Betty Shabazz), and showrunners Raphael Jackson Jr. and Damione Macedon. To learn more about the benefits of Paley Membership and how to attend the New York Premiere, please visit paleycenter.org.
Rounding out the exhibit will be educational and fun arts and crafts activities including Hero Cards that children can create depicting the two iconic leaders. In addition, curated selection of screenings from the Paley Archive will be shown on the big screen in The Paley Museum’s second floor theater celebrating the incredible lives of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, as well as the premiere episode of Genius: MLK/X.
Paley Members receive free entry to this exhibit and receive Members-Only discounts on year-round Paley programs and events. For more information on the exhibit and the many benefits of Paley Membership, please visit paleycenter.org.
Media Contacts:
Teresa Brady, Director of Communications, The Paley Center for Media
tbrady@paleycenter.org – 212 621-6757
Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis
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About The Paley Center for Media
The Paley Center for Media is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has proudly made its home in NYC for almost 50 years and operates the iconic Paley Museum. Through its respected programming, the Paley Center leads the discussion about the cultural, creative, and social significance of media, drawing upon its curatorial expertise, an international collection, and close relationships with the media community. The general public can participate in Paley programs in both New York and Los Angeles that explore and celebrate the creativity, the innovations, the talent, and the leaders who are shaping media. The public can also access the Paley Center's permanent media collection, The Paley Archive, often referred to as a national treasure, containing over 160,000 television and radio programs and advertisements. Through the global programs of its Media Council and International Council, the Paley Center also serves as a neutral setting where media professionals can engage in discussion and debate about the evolving media landscape. Previously known as The Museum of Television & Radio, the Paley Center was founded in 1975 by William S. Paley, a pioneering innovator in the industry. For more information about The Paley Center for Media, and to learn about the Paley Center’s acclaimed programming, please visit paleycenter.org.