Today ABC News announced it will launch Soul of a Nation – a groundbreaking primetime newscast and the first broadcast network newsmagazine that aims to put Black life in America front and center. The six-episode series will present viewers with a unique window into authentic realities of Black life, diving deeper into this critical moment of racial reckoning. Each episode will explore a specific theme including spirituality, Black joy, activism in sports and the outrage that erupted after George Floyd’s death. Soul of a Nation will air Tuesday nights starting in March on ABC. Episodes will also be made available the next day on demand and on Hulu. ‘Soul of a Nation’: ABC Series Highlights Black Life in America
Soul of a Nation features a stellar roster of special guest hosts for each episode including Jemele Hill, Marsai Martin and more to be announced at a later date. Interviews and reporting will come from ABC News anchors and correspondents, including Adrienne Bankert, Linsey Davis, T.J. Holmes, Sunny Hostin, Janai Norman, Steve Osunsami, Byron Pitts, Deborah Roberts, David Scott and Pierre Thomas, and ESPN’s Michael Wilbon.
“We’re excited to expand enterprising Black storytelling and the celebration of Black culture beyond the month of February,” said co-executive producer Eric Johnson. “Viewers of all backgrounds, regardless of race, will be moved, educated and inspired by the broad range of stories and topics shared on this show.”
Soul of a Nation will travel across the country, unpacking issues critical to Black Americans through intimate storytelling. Every episode bridges the past, present and future through a variety of voices and experiences from athletes, entertainers, performers and screenwriters. Carmelo Anthony, Nick Cannon, Deon Cole, Kim Coles, Tommy Davidson, Mo’Ne Davis, Danny Glover, David Alan Grier, Wood Harris, Janaya Future Khan, Renee Montgomery, Sylvia Obell, Jeneé Osterheldt, Chris Paul, John Ridley, Saweetie, Michael Yo, The Undefeated’s Domonique Foxworth, Soraya McDonald, Marc Spears and Justin Tinsley, and ESPN’s Lisa Salters and Maria Taylor are among the notables who will be showcased.
Remarkable people like 95-year-old Lucille Burden Osborne will be showcased. Osborne is the great-granddaughter of Charles McGruder – a slave who was deployed to neighboring plantations as a breeder, yet, created a home for his many children after emancipation. Behind-the-scenes action from some of TikTok’s most influential young Black content creators to understand the business behind their brands; and learn about Afrofuturism as a philosophy, aesthetic, genre and tool for social change. The “In the kitchen” segment will feature performers, activists, scholars and clergy – gathering for entertaining and provocative conversations about current events. Closing out episodes will be a special performance from notable musicians like Cynthia Erivo or spoken-word artists .
The executive creative team includes Chantre Camack, executive editorial producer, and James Adolphus, series director. Series creator, Marie Nelson, is senior vice president of Integrated Content Strategy at ABC News.
“ABC News is proud to partner with ABC Entertainment to host ‘Soul of a Nation,’ a primetime convening place for diverse audiences to call home. It’s 2021 and the demands of this time call upon the media community to grant Black viewers more opportunities to see their lives reflected in all of its complexity and to present all of our audience access points to gain understanding,” said Nelson.
Soul of a Nation is the latest original programming from ABC News which has a renewed focus on telling diverse stories across the news division. Previous programming includes the No. 1-rated Juneteenth: A Celebration of Overcoming, three-day division-wide series Pandemic – A Nation Divided on the disparity in race and class amid the pandemic, America in Pain: What Comes Next? on the protests and outrage across the country in response to the killing of George Floyd and police brutality and systemic racism against Black Americans, the month-long reporting series Turning Point and pre-election special America’s Future: The Power of the Latino Vote. To view a teaser for Soul of a Nation, visit here.
‘Soul of a Nation’: ABC Series Highlights Black Life in America ‘Soul of a Nation’: ABC Series Highlights Black Life in America
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