Filmmaker Kevin Morrison recently completed a short work to mark the 40th anniversary of a speech entitled “Beyond Vietnam” delivered by Martin Luther King Jr. at New York’s Riverside church on April 4, 1967. The original speech, given during the height of American involvement in Vietnam, is a summation of the strong antiwar views that marked King’s final years. It is a shocking speech to hear today, even the four-minute version presented in the film, both for the relevance of the ideas expressed and for the fearlessness and conviction with which they are delivered.

Pop and Politics emailed Morrison about the film, which he posted on YouTube, and he came back huge, rolling out historical context, rich asides, and choice (lengthy!) quotes from a few of the rare political leaders today who have, in their own ways, taken up King’s legacy, respectfully telling our war leaders that enough is enough. To view the film and read excerpts of our interview with Morrison, click here.