*For the 30th anniversary of the LA riots Tavis Smiley and Dominique DiPrima will co-host a special on KBLA Talk 1580 live from Los Angeles.
“Historic anniversaries, to my mind, are only worth pausing to commemorate if our reflections are instructive, informative and empowering for how to make America a nation as good as its promise,” said Smiley, as reported by Radio Facts.
“We want to take this opportunity to amplify the voices of the African American community in this moment of solemn reflection and continue the quest for accountability,” added DiPrima.
READ MORE: Tavis Smiley – Death of A King – An In depth Look At Martin’s Last Years | WATCH
The police-involved beating of Rodney King in 1991, and the subsequent acquittal of four LAPD officers on charges of assault — ignited the Los Angeles riots that lasted for days. Nearly 100 people were reportedly killed during the riots, more than 2,000 people were injured, and more than 11,000 were arrested. The civil disturbances occurred in Los Angeles County from Apr 29 to May 4, 1992.
“Can we all get along?” the late Rodney King pleaded at a press conference on May 1, 1992. Per the report, Smiley and DiPrimas’s special programming will unpack that very question. The show will air live on KBLA Talk 1580 from 6am to 12noon at the intersection of Florence and Normandie which is considered “ground zero” of the civil unrest, per the report.
As we previously reported, Smiley launched KBLA Talk 1580 on June 19, Juneteenth of last year, dubbed the first “Unapologetically Progressive” Black-owned and operated, talk radio station in Southern California.
In two months, the station will celebrate its one-year anniversary on the air. Per Radio Facts, “KBLA Talk 1580 boasts an all-star lineup of hosts who can speak candidly and passionately to the challenges people of color face daily trying to navigate life and realize their California hopes and dreams,” the outlet writes.
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