- Details
- By Kaili Berg
The HISTORY Channel is set to premiere a new two-hour documentary on one of America’s most legendary athletes, Jim Thorpe (Sac & Fox/Potawatomi).
Jim Thorpe: Lit by Lightning will debut Monday, July 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, shining a long-overdue spotlight on the Sac and Fox athlete who broke barriers in sports and society.
Directed by Chris Eyre (Cheyenne and Arapaho) and executive produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter through their athlete-driven media brand UNINTERRUPTED, the film takes a deep dive into Thorpe’s life, from growing up on the Sac and Fox reservation in Oklahoma to becoming the first Native American Olympic gold medalist for the United States.
Thorpe’s achievements stretched far beyond the 1912 Olympics. He played professional baseball, football, and basketball, and was considered one of the most versatile athletes of the 20th century.
But his story also reveals the racism and institutional erasure he endured. Stripped of his medals after winning at the Olympics (later reinstated), and often dismissed in mainstream histories, Thorpe remains a symbol of Indigenous resilience.
The film features interviews with Native scholars, athletes, and sports historians, along with excerpts from Thorpe’s unpublished autobiography. There are also cinematic recreations that aim to bring viewers closer to the man behind the headlines.
Eyre, who also serves as an executive producer, frames the story around what it means to be American, especially when the systems of that country once worked against your very existence.
The documentary is a joint production between UNINTERRUPTED, INE Entertainment, Five All in the Fifth, Motion Entertainment, and The HISTORY Channel. Global distribution is being handled by A+E Global Media.
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