Nearly 30 years ago, Los Angeles erupted in violence as a jury acquitted four police officers in the beating of Rodney King.
To mark the event, talk radio station KBLA 1580 Talk will broadcast from the intersection of Florence and Normandie, infamously known as the corner where four men brutally assaulted trucker Reginald Denny.
The broadcast will air live on April 29 from 6 am to noon with hosts Tavis Smiley and Dominique DiPrima.
“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,” Smiley said in a statement.
The broadcast will feature some of King’s family members, community organizers, faith leaders, and elected officials.
“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.
On Juneteenth last year, Smiley launched LA’s first and only “Unapologetically Progressive” talk radio station for the African American listening audience.
The Rodney King riots were carried out over several days and caused billions of dollars in damage.
Years later, a federal jury would ultimately find former officers Laurence Powell and Sergeant Stacey Koon guilty, and they were subsequently sentenced to 30 months in prison.
Timothy Wind and Theodore Briseno were acquitted of all charges, but the LAPD soon dismissed both for their role in the beating.
