“People never talk about race until something bad happens. I want to provide a conversation.”
—Charles Barkley
Yes, this is Charles Barkley, NBA legend and Emmy Award-winning commentator for TNT’s Inside the NBA. He is now tackling the issue of racism in America.
In a two-night television event, Barkley will host “American Race.” Barkley traveled across the country with the purpose of exploring the issue of race from different angles. As you can imagine, given the time we are in, Barkley engaged in thoughtful and spirited dialogue from a diverse cross section of Americans and we have an opportunity to share in that conversation.
Troubled by the way racism and other forms of discrimination have affected so many communities, Barkley has made it his personal mission not only to learn about varying perspectives but also to give a voice to those most impacted by discrimination. In “American Race,” he will focus on such topics as police and race relations, Muslims in America, immigration issues and Hollywood stereotyping.
Episode 101 is “Baltimore Rising”
Preview Sunday, May 7, at 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT)
Premiere Thursday, May 11, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT)
His first stop is Baltimore, Md., a city that became central to the Black Lives Matter Movement when riots broke out following the death of African-American Freddie Gray, who died because of injuries sustained in police custody. Barkley engages with the community and police in Baltimore, hoping to bring both sides together in search of solutions.
Episode 102 is “Muslim is the New Black”
Thursday, May 11, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
With America still reeling from Trump’s immigration ban and anti-Muslim sentiment, Barkley tries to understand the state of Muslim-American relations across the country. He heads to Irving, Tex., the most diverse zip code in America, and finds the city in turmoil as a local ordinance banning “foreign laws” has upset its Muslims citizens. In addition, anti-Muslim groups have staged armed protests against a local mosque. Barkley meets with Muslim-Americans, militants and local lawmakers, some threatening the local mosque and others defending it, to find out what is at the root of the fear of Muslims in America.
“American Race” will air over two nights – Thursday, May 11, and Friday, May 12 – with two episodes each night at 9 and 10 p.m. (ET/PT). In addition, TNT will offer a preview of the first episode on Sunday, May 7, at 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT), following the network’s coverage of the NBA Playoffs. And on Monday, May 8, all four episodes will be made available to subscribers through VOD and on the TNT app.
Check out You Tube for a sneak peek of “American Race.”
