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Africa's Great Civilizations

Africa's Great Civilizations

In his 6-hour series, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. takes a look at the history of Africa, from the birth of humankind to the dawn of the 20th century. This is a breathtaking and personal journey through two hundred thousand years of history, from the origins, on the African continent, of art, writing, and civilization itself.
Commerce and the Clash of Civilizations | Hour Six
Episode
Commerce and the Clash of Civilizations | Hour Six

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Commerce and the Clash of Civilizations | Hour Six
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52:30
Season 1 Episode 6
Commerce and the Clash of Civilizations | Hour Six
Explore the dynamism of 19th century Africa and the "scramble” for its riches.
The Atlantic Age | Hour Five
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52:11
Season 1 Episode 5
The Atlantic Age | Hour Five
Explores the impact of the Atlantic world and the transatlantic slave trade.
Cities | Hour Four
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52:01
Season 1 Episode 4
Cities | Hour Four
Explores the great African cities and their wealth and industry.
Empires of Gold | Hour Three
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52:31
Season 1 Episode 3
Empires of Gold | Hour Three
Uncover complex trade networks & educational institutions in north and west Africa.
The Cross and The Crescent | Hour Two
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52:31
Season 1 Episode 2
The Cross and The Crescent | Hour Two
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. charts the rise and impact of Christianity and Islam across Africa.
Origins | Hour One
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52:31
Season 1 Episode 1
Origins | Hour One
Uncover the origins of man and early human society in Africa with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Interview with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
2:00
Interview with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Learn more about Africa's Great Civilizations with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
City of Meroe | Africa's Great Civilizations
2:31
City of Meroe | Africa's Great Civilizations
Explore the Great City of Meroe, third and last capital of the Ancient Kingdom of Kush.
The City of M'banza-Kongo | Africa's Great Civilizations
2:42
The City of M'banza-Kongo | Africa's Great Civilizations
The Kingdom of Kongo was one of the largest and most powerful in the southern half Africa.
The Kingdom of Dahomey | Africa's Great Civilizations
3:15
The Kingdom of Dahomey | Africa's Great Civilizations
Dahomey contained a vast complex of royal palaces and a unique canon of art.
City of Timbuktu | Africa's Great Civilizations
1:41
City of Timbuktu | Africa's Great Civilizations
The heart of ancient Timbuktu’s intellectual life was its libraries.
The Country of Angola | Africa's Great Civilizations
5:18
The Country of Angola | Africa's Great Civilizations
A quarter of all slaves who crossed the Atlantic started from what is today Angola.
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