Ken Burns and Henry Louis Gates Jr. bring race talk to luncheon March 14

Acclaimed Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns, joined by Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., will talk about race in America at a National Press Club luncheon March 14.

The history of race has captured the attention of both men and now Burns and Gates have teamed up to host a national lecture series that takes a deeper dive on the issue. The two were brought together following the mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina last year.

Both Burns and Gates will have films on PBS in coming months. Burns’ film “Jackie Robinson,” which will air on April 11 and April 12, takes a look at the life and times of the man known for breaking the color barrier in baseball. Gates’s film, “Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise,” which will air in the fall, looks at the walls that continue to divide the United States.

Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m., with remarks beginning at 1 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session ending at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $24 for Club members, who may purchase 2 tickets at this rate, and $38 for non-members. Tickets may be purchased online.

For questions, please email [email protected] or call 202-662-7501. Tickets must be paid for at the time of purchase.

Club members who wish to attend the pre-luncheon reception must RSVP separately to [email protected] 48 hours before the event. Space may be limited. You must have a paid reservation to the Luncheon to attend the VIP reception.

To submit a question in advance, put BURNS in the subject line and email to [email protected] before 10 a.m. on the day of the luncheon.