'The Heroic True-Life Adventures of Alvin Brooks' Airs on Kansas City PBS

Kansas City PBS

• Published on June 20, 2024 • Last modified on July 2, 2024

Poster for "The Heroic True-Life Adventures of Alvin Brooks" side-by-side with photo of director, Kevin Willmott — Director Kevin Willmott presents his documentary about local activist, Alvin Brooks.
Doug Barrett

From the visionary mind behind BlacKkKlansman and No Place Like Home, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Kevin Willmott now brings us The Heroic True-Life Adventures of Alvin Brooks, a new documentary about the extraordinary life of a man who has dedicated over six decades to making Kansas City a better place. The film airs on Kansas City PBS Channel 19.1 on Thursday, July 11, at 7 p.m.

Born in 1932 in rural Arkansas, Alvin Brooks faced adversity from the start. After nearly losing his adoptive father to a biased justice system, Brooks' family moved to Kansas City, where he overcame a mysterious illness and the pervasive racism of the time. Brooks' resilience led him to become one of Kansas City's first Black police officers in the 1950s and, later, the city's first Black department head. His leadership didn't stop there; he founded the AdHoc Group Against Crime, becoming a national figure in civil rights and local activism. The Heroic True-Life Adventures of Alvin Brooks is a timely tribute to a man whose relentless fight for justice and equality continues to inspire Kansas Citians today.

Alvin Brooks looks into the distance — Brooks has dedicated over 60 years to the Kansas City community.
Doug Barrett

“People will be surprised by all the different lives that Alvin Brooks has lived,” Willmott said. “In many ways, he is the character ‘Shaft’ from the Gordon Parks classic film. People in trouble with the law ask him for help, the police ask him for help, and politicians and city officials also come asking for help. All of those groups trust and respect him, which is amazingly rare, and because of his unique skill and courage, he saves lives and makes the community safer.”

The Heroic True-Life Adventures of Alvin Brooks adds toWillmott's impressive filmography, which includes films like Chi-Raq, Da 5 Bloods, both directed by Spike Lee, and Sundance favorites like C.S.A: Confederate States of America. Willmott has also captured much of our regional story in films like Jayhawkers and No Place Like Home.The Heroic True-Life Adventures of Alvin Brooks is produced in collaboration with the Black Archives of the Mid-America in Kansas City, an organization that preserves African American culture throughout the region.

Following the premiere of The Heroic True-Life Adventures of Alvin Brooks, stay tuned for an episode of Art House Live!at 8 p.m., where Kansas City PBS producer John McGrath sits down with Willmott in front of a live audience at the Kansas City PBS station to discuss the film and Willmott’s artistic process.

Alvin Brooks being filmed in KCMO — Brooks is filmed in Kansas City.
Doug Barrett

About Kansas City PBS

Kansas City PBS is a non-profit multimedia organization located in midtown Kansas City. Founded in 1961, KCPBS operates four television channels, as well as working with sister brands Flatland, its digital news source, and 90.9 The Bridge, an NPR music discovery public radio station.

For more information, contact:
Kynala Phillips
Communications & Engagement Manager
communications@kansascitypbs.org