PBS

Whitney Young and President Lyndon Johnson, from the PBS documentary, ’ ‘The Powerbroker’

PBS

Whitney Young and President John F. Kennedy, from the PBS documentary, ’ ‘The Powerbroker’

Whitney Young worked behind the scenes during the civil rights movement to mold many of the policies that broke down racial segregation. Filmmaker Bonnie Boswell had a front row seat to Young's life and career: she was his niece.

Her film, "The Powerbroker: Whitney Young's Fight for Civil Rights," premiers tonight on PBS.