Filmmaker Sam Pollard reminds us in MLK/FBI, of Martin Luther King's struggled during his life. Most know King as the Civil Rights icon who stepped on the national stage, as leader of the 1955 Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott. As King's stature grew, he attracted the attention of long time FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. At first, Hoover investigated King for suspected Marxist leanings. Over time, Hoover discovered evidence of King's extramarital affairs, turning the FBI investigation into an obsession. MLK/FBI makes extensive use of unseen archival footage. Many scenes catch King reflecting not knowing of the presence of the camera. The filmmaker tells parallel stories of both King and Hoover, and never shies from truth. This is a valuable history lesson with themes that echo our times.
