HBO will debut Eyes on the Prize III: We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest (1977-2015) on Feb. 25, with two back-to-back episodes. The six-part series, executive produced by Dawn Porter, will be available for streaming on Max.
Building on Henry Hampton’s 1987 documentary Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Movement, this installment explores Black activism beyond the traditional civil rights era. It examines key events from the late 1970s to 2015, including struggles over fair housing, healthcare, environmental justice, and the emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The first episode, America, Don’t Look Away (1977-1988), highlights community efforts in New York’s South Bronx and Philadelphia, where activists fought for better housing and healthcare amid economic shifts. Later episodes examine the impact of the criminal justice system, featuring perspectives from public defenders in Washington, D.C., and organizers in Los Angeles.
The series also revisits the Million Man March in 1995, environmental justice movements in the 1980s, and legal battles over affirmative action and school desegregation. Key figures include Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., Maxine Waters, Angela Davis, and BLM co-founders Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors.
Arriving at a time when racial justice remains a central issue, the series documents past and present activism, continuing the legacy of the Black Press in preserving these histories.
