Peacock Announces Production on “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks,” The First Full-Length Documentary on the Civil Rights Icon

Peacock announced today that it is currently in production on THE REBELLIOUS LIFE OF MRS. ROSA PARKS, the first-ever full-length documentary about the civil rights icon, from award-winning directors Yoruba Richen (“The Green Book: Guide to Freedom“) and Johanna Hamilton (“1971“) and journalist and Emmy Award-winning executive producer Soledad O’Brien.

THE REBELLIOUS LIFE OF MRS. ROSA PARKS tells the unexpected story of Rosa Parks and her life beyond the historic bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama. The documentary turns Parks’ story on its head revealing the intent behind her activism, her radical politics, and the true extent of her courage. With a wealth of video footage, exclusive audio of Rosa Parks herself, and a wide range of interview subjects including activists, celebrities, and Rosa Parks’ own family, the film paints an honest and evocative picture of her defiant spirit, the countless hardships she faced and how her legacy continues today in the long path toward justice and equality.

“I’m thrilled to bolster Peacock’s growing documentary slate with premium content like the story of Rosa Parks,” said Rachel Smith, EVP, Unscripted DeveloPMent: Documentary & Lifestyle, NBC Universal Streaming & Cable. “This powerful film examines Rosa Parks’ life through a new lens and debunks many common myths. Get ready to see Rosa Parks like you’ve never seen her before.”

“It’s rare to get beneath the surface of a celebrated American icon and find something even more impressive behind it,” said directors Yoruba Richen and Johanna Hamilton. “It is a story that elevates the work of the women who were the heartbeat of the civil rights struggle and has far greater lessons on how we might work for social justice today.”

This documentary is based on the New York Times bestselling biography The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks by Jeanne Theoharis. The book won an NAACP Image Award, the Letitia Woods Brown Award from the Association of Black Women Historians, and was named one of the 25 Best Academic Titles of 2013 by Choice.

THE REBELLIOUS LIFE OF MRS. ROSA PARKS is produced by SO’B Productions and directed by Yoruba Richen and Johanna Hamilton. The film is executive produced by Soledad O’Brien, Jo Honig, Patrick Conway, Yoruba Richen, and Johanna Hamilton and Christalyn Hampton is the Producer. The documentary will premiere on Peacock in 2022.