The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross

The Black Atlantic (1500-1800)

Preview: Episode 1 | 30s

The Black Atlantic explores the earliest Africans, both slave and free, who arrived in the New World. Through stories of individuals caught in the transatlantic slave trade, we trace the emergence of plantation slavery in the American South. The episode also looks at what that Era of Revolutions — American, French and Haitian — would mean for African Americans and for slavery in America.

Aired: 10/22/13

Rating: NR

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Explore Our Shared Histories

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Series

Explore Our Shared Histories

Stream more from Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. through iconic series like Making Black America, Finding Your Roots, and The Black Church. Discover the ancestry of diverse, influential people and delve into the rich history and culture of Black America.

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