Q&A: Abdul-Jabbar talks new documentary, MLK, social justice

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an NBA legend, but the man known for his trademark skyhook shot has also devoted his life advocating for equality and social justice

LOS ANGELES -- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an NBA legend, but the man known for his trademark skyhook shot has also devoted his life advocating for equality and social justice. Abdul-Jabbar will take another step in his activism walk as an executive producer and narrator of the documentary “Fight the Power: The Movements That Changed America,” which premieres Saturday on the History Channel. The one-hour documentary explores the history of protests that shaped the course for justice in America. “Fight the Power” examines the labor movement of the 1880s, women’s suffrage and civil rights along with the LGBTQ+ and Black Lives Matter initiatives. It also features footage from Abdul-Jabbar’s personal experiences when he covered one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s news conferences at age 17 and attended the famous 1967 Cleveland Summit, where prominent Black athletes such as Bill Russell and Jim Brown discussed Muhammad Ali’s refusal to serve in the Vietnam War. Abdul-Jabbar said co-executive producer Deborah Morales was adamant about the documentary needing to include all groups impacted by “bigotry and discrimination.” His pursuit toward social justice for marginalized people prompted the NBA to create an award bearing his name last month.