Executive Produced by LeBron James & Maverick Carter, The History Channel’s New Documentary “Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning” Set to Premiere July 7 [VIDEO]

The HISTORY® Channel has set the premiere for its new, two-hour documentary “Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning” executive produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carte, for Monday, July 7 @ 8PM ET/PT. Directed by Chris Eyre (Cheyenne and Arapaho), the documentary offers a comprehensive exploration into the life and legacy of the legendary Olympian and one of the greatest all-around athletes of all time, and explores what it means to be an American through the pivotal intersection of identity and sport.

Considered to be one of the greatest and most versatile athletes of modern sports, Jim Thorpe was the United States’ first Native American Olympic gold medalist. Born on the Sac and Fox Nation reservation in central Oklahoma, Thorpe grew up during a time when Native people were seen as threats to Western expansion. Despite great odds and in opposition to anti-indigenous rhetoric, Thorpe developed an affinity for athletic endeavors, which would ultimately evolve him into a multisport powerhouse and symbol of the strength and perseverance of his Native peoples. In addition to his Olympic success, Thorpe became an invaluable athlete across baseball, football, basketball, and track-and-field.

Featuring narrated excerpts from Thorpe’s unpublished autobiography alongside thoughtful interviews from scholars and sports commentators, and innovative recreations, “Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning” offers an all-encompassing look into one of the most impressive, yet unsung, athletes of the 20th century.

“Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning” is produced for The HISTORY® Channel by UNINTERRUPTED in association with INE Entertainment, Five All in the Fifth, and Motion Entertainment, a WPP Media company. LeBron James, Maverick Carter, Jamal Henderson, and Philip Byron serve as executive producers for UNINTERRUPTED. Chris Eyre is executive producer and director. Mark Koops, Eric Day, and Doug Banker are executive producers for INE Entertainment and Five All in the Fifth, respectively. Richard Foster and Chet Fenster serve as executive producers for Motion Entertainment, a WPP Media company. Eli Lehrer and Jim Pasquarella serve as executive producers for The HISTORY Channel. Courtney Whitaker and Matt Rissmiller serve as co-executive producers for UNINTERRUPTED.

A+E Global Media holds worldwide distribution rights to “Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning.”