Stokely & Martin is a bold, original play by Najee A. Brown that brings to life an imagined conversation between two Civil Rights icons: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Stokely Carmichael. Set against the turbulent backdrop of the late 1960s, the play imagines a rare private meeting in which the two leaders confront their ideological differences, King’s commitment to nonviolence and integration, and Carmichael’s rising call for Black Power and his critique of U.S. militarism abroad.

Rather than presenting history as static or didactic, Brown’s script humanizes these towering figures through moments of humor, music, and vulnerability. Peppered with lyrical dialogue and original music, the play explores not only their political philosophies but their shared struggle, conviction, and brotherhood. With additional appearances by Willie Ricks and Cleve Sellers, Stokely & Martin offers a complex, layered portrait of a movement shaped by both tension and unity.

Set at a moment when King was one of the most unpopular men in America, criticized for his commitment to nonviolence and increasingly isolated for his evolving stance on the Vietnam War, the play examines what it means to speak, to dissent, and to lead when the cost of doing so is painfully high.

Venue Information:

The Multicultural Arts Center is located at 41 Second Street in Cambridge, MA. Please enter at the ground floor entrance and visit the Box Office on your right as you enter.

Once you check in, you will head upstairs to the theater. There is an elevator and staircase for access to the theater.

Seating is general admission. Box Office will open an hour before the show starts, so you are welcome to arrive early. Feel free to visit our gallery before the show begins.

Getting There:

The Multicultural Arts Center is located just a few blocks from the Green line Lechmere MBTA Station.

The East Cambridge Parking Garage is entered off Spring Street, between First & Second Streets, one block away from us, and open 24/7.