The History Channel has greenlit the two-hour special “Kevin Hart Presents: The Black Man’s Guide to History,” the network announced at the Television Critics Association winter press tour on Friday.
Hart will star in and executive produce the special, which begins as the “Ride Along 2” star finds his daughter upset after watching the film “12 Years A Slave” believing that black history appears to only be about slavery and oppression.
This prompts him to begin educating her through scripted re-enactments about historical figures that people may not have heard about before such as: Matthew Henson, the first person to go to the North Pole, but did not receive the credit; Robert Smalls, a former slave who led a revolt on a Confederate warship and pretended to be the captain to evade capture; and Mae Jemison, the first black female astronaut.
“I’m very excited to be working with History on this show because not only is it entertaining, and it’s hysterical, but it also is an important program for our country right now,” Hart said. “We hope to make people laugh and learn a bit too.”
“Kevin is an extraordinary performer with a real appreciation for history,” said Paul Cabana, executive vice president and head of programming for the History Channel. “Only he could bring these true stories to life in such an entertaining way. We’re thrilled to be working with him.”
“Kevin Hart Presents: The Black Man’s Guide to History” is produced by Hart’s Hartbeat Productions and Comedy Dynamics. Hart and Dave Becky are executive producers for Hartbeat Productions. Brian Volk-Weiss, Tom Stern and Cisco Henson are executive producers for Comedy Dynamics. The special was created by Brian Volk-Weiss. Tim Healy, Stephen Mintz and Russ McCarroll are executive producers for History.