The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross
The Black Atlantic (1500-1800)
Preview: Episode 1 | 30s
The first Africans in America and the beginning of plantation slavery in the South.
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.
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.
How to Watch The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross
The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
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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.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. discusses two of the earliest Africans to arrive in North America. (1m 19s)
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. learns about Priscilla, a slave on a South Carolina plantation. (1m 50s)
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