Not Ossie Davis or Cicely Tyson's greatest work (they generally sound unconvincingly worked up), but Paul Winfield is excellent as MLK Jr. Filling out the cast is a who's who of black supporting actors (Mr. Tibbs from the "In The Heat of the Night" TV show! The black Ghostbuster! The dude who played Elijah Mohammed in "Malcolm X"!).
The story, though linear and convincing, is full of made-for-TV moments that clearly identify it as a late '70s miniseries. The overall effect is a success, driven by moving recreations of King's best-known speeches, but the occasional historically inaccurate scene dramatizes King's efforts to mind-numbing simplicity. MLK does deserve better and I know some guys who can deliver the goods.