ABC News Commemorates Black History Month With Extensive Network-Wide Coverage

ABC News kicks off a network-wide, month-long commitment honoring Black History Month, with several dedicated programs and segments from ABC News running throughout February across all platforms and a special encore broadcast of “X / o n e r a t e d – The Murder of Malcolm X and 55 Years to Justice” on Thursday, Feb. 1 (10:13-11:00 p.m. EST), on ABC, streaming next day on Hulu.

The special profiles Muhammad Abdul Aziz, a man who was wrongfully convicted of Malcolm X’s assassination. Featuring the first TV interview with Aziz following his exoneration in 2021, conducted by ABC News “Nightline” co-anchor Byron Pitts, the special retraces Malcolm X’s shocking 1965 assassination, Aziz’s decades behind bars and on parole, and the devastating impact on Aziz’s family.

“X / o n e r a t e d” also features interviews with Shahid Johnson, Ameen Johnson and Khalil Ibn Islam, the children of the late Khalil Islam, who was also wrongfully convicted for the assassination and posthumously exonerated, as well as Malcolm X’s daughter Ilyasah Shabazz.

Additional ABC News’ Black History Month coverage includes dedicated programming across all programs and platforms, including the following:

“Good Morning America” will feature dedicated profiles, segments and series, including “20/20” co-anchor and senior national affairs correspondent Deborah Roberts speaking to women in Maryland about how mental health struggles manifest differently in Black women and ways in which the younger generation is seeking to normalize mental healthcare for those who came before them; showcases of Black-owned businesses, such as how an Illinois man paid for his house by selling sneakers; interviews with prominent Black newsmakers and athletes; performances by Black artists, including a celebration of 40 years of breakdancing, featuring some of the pioneers and dancers keeping the art form alive; profiles on young Americans making a difference in their communities; and more.

With the 2024 presidential campaign well underway, “World News Tonight with David Muir” will report on where Black voters stand as well as the candidates’ efforts to win their votes ahead of the South Carolina primary. Additionally, the broadcast’s “Made in America” series will highlight innovative Black-owned small businesses creating jobs and supporting their local communities, and its “America Strong” series will celebrate those making a difference in their hometowns across the country.

“Nightline” will air special content and features surrounding Black History Month throughout February. The late-night news program will report on the power of the Black vote leading up to the 2024 election and the history and influence of Black musical artists, featuring interviews with members of the Wu-Tang Clan and more.

“This Week with George Stephanopoulos” coverage will include a focus on voting rights and key races in 2024 that could shape Black representation in Congress. “This Week” will also highlight the possibility that multiple Black women could be elected to the U.S. Senate this year in Delaware, Maryland and California, making history in their own states. Ahead of Black History Month, on Jan. 28, Martha Raddatz interviewed Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. CQ Brown, the second Black man in U.S. history to serve in the role after Gen. Colin Powell and the first to serve alongside a Black defense secretary.

“GMA3: What You Need to Know” will feature a lineup of inspiring segments, interviews and performances honoring the past, present and future of Black history. The program will profile impactful Black organizations such as Mentoring in Medicine, 600 Black Women, and Black Girls Do Bike. Also, co-anchor DeMarco Morgan takes viewers on a personal journey as he shares his experience with his first colonoscopy, shedding light on the significance of routine screenings. Additionally, “GMA3” will feature the remarkable achievements of Fred Richard, the youngest American male gymnast to medal at Worlds, and the trailblazing ice-skating team at an HBCU.

On Feb. 1, “The View” will kick off a month-long celebration on-air and across its social platforms honoring Black pioneers, trailblazers, innovators and thought leaders. The show will spotlight these newsmakers and hidden figures who have significantly impacted American life in politics, social justice, the arts, science, sports and business with its Black History Month FYI series, airing several days each week in February.

ABC News Live will go beyond the headlines to deliver unique content to viewers with “Prime with Linsey Davis” and dayside programming featuring interviews and segments each week dedicated to showcasing Black stories and wide-ranging topics. ABC News Live will also debut a special, led by ABC News senior national correspondent Steve Osunsami, examining the rise in diabetic amputations and talk to those who’ve lost limbs and loved ones to the disease while also exploring preventative treatments, including the surge in patients using Ozempic and Mounjaro. As part of ABC News’ partnership with 10 Million Names, viewers will hear the stories of formerly enslaved people through engaging first-person oral histories recorded after the Emancipation Proclamation. Additionally, ABC News Live will travel to Wilmington, North Carolina, to see firsthand the lasting impact of the 1898 “White Supremacy Campaign” and hear from a descendant about how this changed her family forever.

ABC News Digital will publish a number of original features, including coverage of the 10 Million Names Project, a deep dive into Black history that is seldom taught in K-12 classrooms but plays a major role in how we understand our nation’s past, and a look at breaking diversity gaps in outdoor sports and activities.

ABC Audio will air the “Soul of a Nation” docu-special “X / o n e r a t e d: The Murder of Malcolm X and 55 Years to Justice” to radio station affiliates nationwide and release it as a podcast. Accompanying the docu-special, “Perspective,” ABC Radio’s newsmagazine show, will feature exclusive companion interviews and weekly segments. Additionally, host Derricke Dennis will report on the 100th anniversary of The Hilltop, the student newspaper at Howard University, where he was the campus editor.

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