Plot Synopsis

SOUL OF A NATION PRESENTS is a series of specials that celebrate and honor various cultures in America: Black; Latin/Hispanic; Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders; and LGBTQ+. "True to the essence of SOUL OF A NATION, these [first two] specials embody the ongoing pursuit of visibility, justice and authentic representation of Black life in America," said Marie Nelson, senior vice president, integrated content strategy, ABC News. The first two SOUL OF A NATION PRESENTS specials premiered on Thursday, February 3, 2022 from 8-10pm ET/PT on ABC:

"Screen Queens Rising" (8pm): This one-hour program explores how Black actresses, a historically overlooked and under-valued group in Hollywood, have in recent years begun to ascend to the top echelons of entertainment and American culture. The doc examines how Black actresses of Hollywood have become power brokers and the iconic moments and roles have paved the way for them today. The special, hosted by ABC NEWS LIVE PRIME anchor Linsey Davis and ABC News senior national affairs correspondent Deborah Roberts, includes Roberts' interview with actress Tessa Thompson and ABC News' "GMA3: What You Need to Know" co-anchor T.J. Holmes' interview with actress and director Halle Berry. The hour also features interviews with actresses Debbie Allen, Jackee Harry, Marla Gibbs and Regina Hall, and entertainment reporters who look back at the first milestones for Black women in Hollywood, discussing the triumphs, the obstacles and those who blazed the trail. The special includes the return of the fan-favorite "In the Kitchen" discussion moderated by "The View" co-host Sunny Hostin.

"X / o n e r a t e d: The Murder of Malcolm X and 55 Years to Justice" (9pm): This one-hour program profiles Muhammad Abdul Aziz, a man who was wrongfully convicted of Malcolm X's assassination. Featuring the first TV interview with Aziz since his exoneration, conducted by ABC News "Nightline" co-anchor Byron Pitts, the special retraces Malcolm X's shocking 1965 assassination, Aziz's decades behind bars and on parole, and the devastating impact on Aziz's family. "X / o n e r a t e d" features interviews with family and advocates of Aziz, including his wife Paula McLellan, son Craig Butler, daughter Edris B. Green and independent historian Abdur-Rahman Muhammad, as well as A. Peter Bailey, a friend and associate of Malcolm X who was at the Audubon Ballroom on the day of the assassination. The special also includes interviews with those who conducted the joint reinvestigation that ultimately led to Aziz's exoneration in November 2021, including Aziz's civil rights attorneys David Shanies and Deborah Francois, Innocence Project attorney Vanessa Potkin and former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., who was interviewed by ABC News chief justice correspondent Pierre Thomas. The special will have interviews with Shahid Johnson, Ameen Johnson and Khalil Ibn Islam, the children of the late Khalil Islam, who was also wrongfully convicted for the assassination of Malcolm X and posthumously exonerated, as well as Malcolm X's daughter Ilyasah Shabazz. Journalists, filmmakers and activists reflect on the enduring legacy of Malcolm X and raise larger questions about how and why both the assassination and the wrongful convictions happened and why it took so long to resolve.


"Sound of Freedom: A Juneteenth Celebration" debuted on Friday, June 17, 2022 from 8-9pm ET/PT on ABC. Hosted by country music star Jimmie Allen, this one-hour special brings together a mix of live performances and conversations with some of music's biggest stars to highlight the contributions of Black Americans through jazz, gospel, hip-hop and more. ABC News anchor Linsey Davis sits down with GRAMMY-winning artist Lizzo to discuss her career and the inspiration behind her chart-topping music. ABC News anchor Janai Norman explores the importance of ownership in music through conversations with GRAMMY winners Ciara, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The special also features reporting from ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott, who introduces viewers to the all-Black production teams behind major artists and groups, shedding light on the many important off-stage roles in the industry. The special includes performances by GRAMMY-winning legends Patti LaBelle, Marvin Sapp and an unforgettable finale from Jon Batiste.

"Mi Gente: Groundbreakers and Changemakers" premiered on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 from 10-11pm ET/PT on ABC. In celebration of Hispanic and Latin American Heritage Month, this one-hour primetime special spotlights three key figures in the Hispanic and Latin American community. ABC News contributor Maria Elena Salinas sits down with music icon Gloria Estefan to discuss the singer and actress's legendary and trailblazing career and how she's now making music with her children and grandchildren, continuing her legacy in the industry. Salinas and Estefan also sit down with Estefan's grandson as well as her daughter Emily, who talks about her experience of coming out to her family. Correspondent John Quinones has an in-depth interview with actor Diego Luna, star of Disney+'s ANDOR, a Star Wars original series, and the first Latino to have a leading role in the Star Wars Galaxy. The actor tells Quinones about starring in and producing the series and his rise to fame. The special will also debut an exclusive clip from ANDOR. Correspondent Stephanie Ramos explores the impact and influence of Hispanic and Latin American athletes with Major League Baseball legend and Hall of Famer David Ortiz. Ramos also follows Ortiz as he surprises a group of children in Boston, detailing his visit and the inspiration behind it.

"Black in Vegas" premiered on Wednesday, February 1, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT on ABC. This one-hour installment features interviews with Smokey Robinson, comedians George Wallace and Luenell, Usher, Ne-Yo, Anna Bailey (the first Black showgirl to perform in Sin City), and Florence LaRue from the Fifth Dimension, as well as never-before-seen video and an interview with Sammy Davis Jr. about performing in Las Vegas. The special also gives inside perspective from cultural commentators and workers in leadership positions at hotels and theaters on what it's like to make a living on the strip and highlights some of the artists who will perform there this year, sharing reflections on what it means to be "Black in Vegas."

"The New Face of Hollywood" debuted on Friday, May 26, 2023 at 8pm ET/PT on ABC, in honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.The one-hour primetime special delves into the rise of Asians in Hollywood, following the historic Oscars sweep of EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, the blockbuster multiverse film about the struggles of a Chinese American immigrant family. NIGHTLINE co-anchor Juju Chang sits down with trailblazing star Michelle Yeoh, the first Asian woman in history to win an Oscar for Best Actress, and Ke Huy Quan, the former child star who won Best Supporting Actor after a 20-year hiatus from acting. Chang's intimate interviews with Yeoh and Quan detail their personal journeys, their experiences through the highs and lows of fame, the setbacks often faced by Asian actors in Hollywood, and how their triumphant Oscar wins reverberated throughout the Asian American community and beyond.

On Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at 10pm ET/PT, ABC premiered "The Freedom to Exist," which takes an in-depth look at the transgender community and features a broadcast exclusive interview with Oscar-nominated actor Elliot Page, who bravely came out as transgender in 2020 and was the first openly trans man to appear on the cover of TIME Magazine. With the release of his new book, "Pageboy: A Memoir," Page discusses his difficult journey to standing in his truth and how he hopes to champion inclusivity in Hollywood. The conversation, which includes audio excerpts from his memoir, also unpacks sexuality and gender identity. The special reports on the state-wide bans across the country and how they are impacting families and conversations in schools; access to books; the banning or restricting drag queens from performing; and gender-affirming care. The special will also cover the LGBTQ+ community and allies, including State Sen. Karen Berg (D-KY), who lost her trans son late last year, and those working to protect rights. "The Freedom to Exist" will include interviews with Sasha Colby, winner of Season 15 of RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE; actress Angelica Ross from the hit FX series POSE and AMERICAN HORROR STORY; Chase Strangio, ACLU's deputy director for transgender justice; Nicole Maines, the first actress to portray a live-action transgender superhero on television; Dr. Jules Gill-Peterson, professor at Johns Hopkins University; animator ND Stevenson; Dr. Ben Hoffman, president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics; Raquel Willis, activist and author of "The Risk It Takes to Bloom"; model Laith Ashley; and actress and singer Sandra Caldwell.

On Juneteenth 2023 (Monday, June 19) at 10pm ET/PT, ABC premiered "Hip-Hop @ 50: Rhythms, Rhymes & Reflections," a one-hour SOUL OF A NATION PRESENTS special, featuring thought-provoking conversations with artists, producers, executives and changemakers in the industry. The special details the history of hip-hop, providing insight into its origins, growth and evolution over the last 50 years and where things stand today. ABC News' fourth Juneteenth primetime special includes four roundtable conversations focusing on financial literacy, mental health, social justice and women's empowerment hosted by hip-hop radio icon Angie Martinez, with rappers Master P, The Lox, E-40, Lola Brooke, Coi Leray, Joey Bada$$, Fat Joe and MC Lyte; radio and television host Charlamagne tha God; activists Michael Eric Dyson, Wes Jackson and Chelsea Miller; media personality Melyssa Ford; PUMA creative director and designer June Ambrose; Roc Nation co-president Shari Bryant; and "Earn Your Leisure"'s Rashad Bilal and Troy Millings. ABC News contributors and entertainment experts Kelley Carter, Rocsi Diaz and Mike Muse are also be featured throughout the special.
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On Friday, September 15, 2023 at 8pm ET/PT, ABC premiered "The Latin Music Revolution," a new one-hour SOUL OF A NATION PRESENTS special that explores the massive popularity of global Latin music and the young stars who are taking the industry by storm with chart-topping songs and record-breaking sales. The special also chronicles the roots and evolution of Latin pop music, the stars who are seeing mainstream success, breaking barriers, and creating a space for themselves and their music, including the difficulties of breaking through in the early decades, and how artists like Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony and Enrique Iglesias set the stage for the current moment. The special features interviews with Colombian artist Karol G, whose new album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this year, making it the first Spanish-language album by a woman to do so; reggaeton and Latin trap artist Nicky Jam; Afro-Colombian singer and rapper Goyo; Mexican Latin pop group RBD; Dominican American Afro-Latina singer Amara "La Negra"; legendary singer Linda Ronstadt; and singer/percussionist Sheila E. and her father Pete Escovedo. "The Latin Music Revolution" showcases how the fusions, rhythms and sounds have deep roots in Latin and Caribbean cultures and communities and celebrate the power of music that builds a connection among people everywhere, with insight from Edgar Barrera, songwriter and producer; Leila Cobo, vice president at Billboard and author of "Decoding Despacito: An Oral History of Latin Music"; Erika Ender, singer-songwriter and prolific composer who co-wrote the worldwide hit "Despacito"; Jennifer Mota, a Dominican American multimedia journalist; Katelina "Gata" Eccleston, reggaeton historian and music critic; AJ Ramos, artist relations manager at YouTube; and Vanessa Diaz, Ph.D., co-creator of the "Bad Bunny Syllabus Project."