Nat Geo Slates Slave-Uprising Doc from Nate Parker

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Coinciding with the theatrical release of The Birth of a Nation, National Geographic Channel has slated a one-hour documentary executive produced by the film’s director, Nate Parker, about Nat Turner and the slave uprising he led.

Rise Up: The Legacy of Nat Turner shines a light on the African-American slave and preacher, who led a bloody slave revolt in Southampton County, Virginia. The one-hour doc will debut tonight on Nat Geo at 10 p.m., coinciding with the Fox Searchlight Pictures theatrical release of critically acclaimed Sundance Jury and Audience Awards winner The Birth of a Nation, which is directed by Parker and tells the dramatic story of this historic liberation movement. In Rise Up, host Roger Guenveur Smith (The Birth of a Nation, Dope, American Gangster, Chiraq) will take viewers on a journey throughout Southampton County to explore where Turner lived, fought and died.

“The story of Nat Turner is pivotal in the narrative of our country,” said Tim Pastore, the president of original programming and production at National Geographic Channel. “His story is essential to discussions on historical and contemporary racial tensions, and we are honored to be able to share the importance of his legacy with our viewers.”

“Nat Turner left a lasting legacy that continues to resonate with Americans today,” said Parker. “Working on this documentary allowed us to give the public the background knowledge of who Turner was and why his rebellion has left such a lasting impact on our country.”

“In my mind, Nat Turner is an American revolutionary, but he’s never been embraced as such, and my question is why,” said Smith. “What happened in Southampton County continues to reverberate in America because of an ongoing debate as to how exactly we remember those among us who paid the ultimate price so that this country might be whole.”