Ken Burns discusses Jackie Robinson and his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement

WASHINGTON (CBS News) - Filmmaker Ken Burns appeared on Face the Nation this Sunday to discuss his new documentary, "Jackie Robinson," which airs tonight and tomorrow on PBS. In this Face the Nationweb extra, Burns spoke with host, John Dickerson, about baseball legend Jackie Robinson and his role in the Civil Rights Movement after his retirement from baseball in 1956.

"He's one of the most famous black Americans, if not one of the most famous Americans." Burns said of the time period after his retirement. "He continues this work in Civil Rights. And we tend to think, 'Oh, you know, that's it. Hall of Fame and then he dies.' Well, there's a very complicated family dynamic filled with tragedy and wonderful spots."

During his post- baseball career, Robinson would head down south to support Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., but as Burns noted during his interview he would find himself "on the outside," towards the end of the Civil Rights period.

"He's [Robinson] looking like Dr. King, conservative and not advocating violence, at a time when many African Americans-- not all, not a majority, were beginning to tire of the accommodations that hadn't brought them the kind of progress they'd hoped would happen." Burns said.

Ken Burns spoke to John Dickerson about the changing ideals of, "who the African American hero is at that time," which Burns stated was not, "matching the sort of bravado of a Muhammad Ali."

To view more of our interview with Ken Burns, click here.