Episode image for The Night James Brown Saved Boston

Duration: 1 hour, 15 minutes

April 5th 1968, the morning after one of the most catastrophic moments in American history - the assassination of Martin Luther King. America's inner cities had begun to implode and in Boston there is a fragile peace.

The mayor of Boston is about to cancel a long-scheduled James Brown concert to avoid confrontation - a potentially incendiary move - but after warnings he has a change of heart and asks if there is 'something James Brown can do to help'.

This documentary tells the story of that amazing night and features rarely-seen footage of the Godfather of Soul's concert plus personal reminiscences from those in attendance.

Last on

Sat 5 Dec 2009 00:30 BBC Four

Music played

15 items

Credits

Director
David Leaf
Producer
David Leaf
Writer
Morgan Neville

Broadcasts

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