Skip to main content
A view of a misty valley shot from above.

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.

There are no episodes available to stream at this time. Explore more shows.

Support Provided By
The Swahili Coast | Africa's Great Civilizations
2:59
For over 1,000 years, African merchants gathered on the Swahili coast, known as Azania.
Ironworking | Africa's Great Civilizations
3:09
Did you know that the invention of ironworking has its roots in Africa?
The City of M'banza-Kongo | Africa's Great Civilizations
2:42
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
Dahomey contained a vast complex of royal palaces and a unique canon of art.
City of Timbuktu | Africa's Great Civilizations
1:41
The heart of ancient Timbuktu’s intellectual life was its libraries.
The Country of Angola | Africa's Great Civilizations
5:18
A quarter of all slaves who crossed the Atlantic started from what is today Angola.
City of Meroe | Africa's Great Civilizations
2:31
Explore the Great City of Meroe, third and last capital of the Ancient Kingdom of Kush.
City of Marrakesh | Africa's Great Civilizations
2:44
When it was founded in the year 1070, Marrakesh was a center of politics and law.
Active loading indicator