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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.

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Interview with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
2:00
Learn more about Africa's Great Civilizations with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
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.
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 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 Timbuktu | Africa's Great Civilizations
1:41
The heart of ancient Timbuktu’s intellectual life was its libraries.
City of Ile Ife | Africa's Great Civilizations
2:13
Explore ancient African civilizations and the origin story of Ile Ife.
Afro Combs | Africa's Great Civilizations
1:48
Did you know that afro combs were used in ancient African civilizations?
Lalibela | Africa's Great Civilizations
2:58
Explore 12 churches that were carved out of rock in the ancient Ethiopian highlands.
Ironworking | Africa's Great Civilizations
3:09
Did you know that the invention of ironworking has its roots in Africa?
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.
The City of Great Zimbabwe | Africa's Great Civilizations
2:36
The Great Enclosure of Great Zimbabwe conveyed majesty, wealth, and architectural genius.
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