https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwWqkk4Ha70 Apr 24, 2020 Religion as we know it infiltrated the black community during slavery. While the objective leaned on pacifying slaves, black people rose against the negative narrative and invested in a community that would be known as the black church. Records indicate that as early as 1794, Richard Allen, a formerly enslaved black man, founded his own denomination and church. Reverend Allen, a man who purchased his own freedom, sought to abolish slavery and help other people escape, as well. As the nation continued to work through the Civil War, Jim Crow, racism, and economic disparity, the black church and its leaders mobilized its followers to speak out and stand up for injustices. In this series of Black History in Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., with additional commentary from Brittney Cooper of Rutgers University and Peniel Joseph of the University of Texas, we look at a fundamentally important piece of American history that has been a haven for blacks who have often times been isolated by the nation and the rules of the land. Black History in Two Minutes or so
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyKdk899_K4 Nov 1, 2019 Robert Smalls: A Slave Who Sailed Himself to Freedom....became a War Hero, and Served as a U.S. Congressman Robert Smalls was born into slavery and pushed into fighting for the Confederacy during the Civil War. However, at the age of 23, he took a chance to not only free him and his family, but those who vowed to step up and fight against the Confederacy alongside him. While on the ship named The Planter, Smalls observed the day-to-day behaviors of the crew. With the support of other slaves on board, he sprung into action. Sneaking into the Charleston harbor at night, Smalls and company anchored the boat, collected their families, and took a brave sail towards freedom. His innovative thinking and fearless hunger for freedom would pay off in a big way. Today, we celebrate him as one of the most heroic slaves of the Civil War. In this episode of Black History in Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and with additional commentary from Farrah Griffin, we honor Smalls’ journey, his leadership, and his undying quest for freedom. Black History in Two Minutes or so
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqkSEjiBU-s Apr 3, 2020 Born into slavery as Frederick Douglass in 1818, this renowned lecturer and author would become one of the greatest public speakers of his time. After escaping slavery in 1838, Douglass joined the abolitionist movement. As a paid traveling lecturer, people everywhere laid their eyes on a freed, well-spoken black man. Douglass was a visionary well before his time. Ensuring his photo was taken everywhere he went, he hoped to utilize his imagery to humanize black people — enslaved and free — at home and abroad. He is now known as the most-photographed person of the 19th Century. Hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. — with additional commentary from Deborah Willis of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, John Stauffer Harvard University, Rhae Lynn Barnes of Princeton University, and David Blight of Yale University — we celebrate the legacy of Frederick Douglass who advocated for freedom and equality until his passing in 1895. Black History in Two Minutes or so
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn-mKoA4odI Oct 11, 2019 Harriet Tubman is one of the greatest freedom fighters to exist. Enslaved and enraged, Tubman committed to not only freeing herself, but she created a system that would revolutionize slavery and the people who benefited from it most. Tubman wore many hats in the name of freedom, from spy to conductor despite being illiterate. Harriet’s mission was to remove the chains that restrained black people by any means necessary, even when her husband, a free man, refused to join her. Known as “The Moses of her people,” Tubman was laid to rest with military honors. Her commitment to the advancement of freedom is highly respected and noted in history. In this series of Black History in Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. — with additional commentary from historian Kate Larson — we celebrate the creator of the Underground Railroad, abolitionist, and the superwoman herself, Harriet Tubman. Black History in Two Minutes or so
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqkXGfdiG2c Oct 18, 2019 Isabella Baumfree was born into slavery in the late 18th century. Despite this, she’d go on to prove that enslavement was only a state of mind. She escaped slavery and landed in New York, where she changed her name to Sojourner Truth. With such a poignant name, she was committed to A name ever so poignant, Truth committed to eradicating racial and gender injustice. Although she never learned how to read nor write, she leaned on her own insight and intellect to draw crowds near and far. She became known as an equal rights activist, publishing her own book and hosting events, where her speeches — such as “Ain’t I A Woman?” — would go down as literary masterpieces. Her commitment to ending slavery and ensuring women had equal rights is why she is a feminist icon, and today we celebrate her in this episode of Black History in Two Minutes or So. Hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. — with additional commentary from Farah Griffin and Brittney Cooper — we rejoice in the legacy of Sojourner Truth, a freedom fighter, truth teller, and a woman who fought for equality for all. Black History in Two Minutes or so
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qcw3xU0D6s Nov 15, 2019 In 1872, Booker T. Washington traveled 500 miles on foot to the Hampton Institute in Virginia. That journey, in turn, laid the foundation — not only for his own education — but his life’s mission to empower and compel black people to invest in industrial education. Washington’s bright mind and forward thinking led him to become the principal and leader at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in 1881. He would go on to gain national notoriety as a lecturer and influencer. While the content of his speeches promoted black growth at its heart, it would be a speech in 1895, the “Atlanta Compromise,” that rattled many black followers. In this episode of Black History in Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. — with additional commentary from Farah Griffin of Columbia University, Shawn Alexander from the University of Kansas, Chad Williams of Brandeis University, Kimberlé Crenshaw of UCLA and Columbia law schools, and Hasan Jeffries of Ohio State University — we honor the legacy of Washington. The celebrated orator and author’s contributions are still felt in society today, and he’s a visionary who recognized that investing in ourselves would lead to successes unseen. Black History in Two Minutes or so
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s81gUknoKAA Oct 25, 2019 In 1865, after the north won the Civil War, the government opened the Freedman’s Bank. This institution was geared towards nearly four million, newly freed black people. The objective was clear: provide a federally protected place for black workers to place their funds. By 1871, 37 branches were open in the US, with over 70,000 people depositing $60 million into this bank. This was particularly amazing considering the limited amount of wealth many emancipated blacks had just years earlier. But in 1873, a great depression happened, shifting the economy and heightening tensions nationally. Hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. — with additional commentary from Hasan Jeffries and Vincent Brown — we look at what many would consider to be one of the leading causes of generational distrust in banking institutions for black families across the United States. Black History in Two Minutes or so
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5vYbFL7OHI Dec 4, 2020 With the formal ending of slavery in place, many freed black people saw this as an opportunity to start anew. But, for those in the south, things didn’t seem much different. The southern black experience saw more aggression, lynchings and segregation. As a result, the time to move was imminent. World War I allowed black people to enter the factory workspace as they left the south. As black people migrated, they were able to establish their own neighborhoods. By World War II, these communities were able to welcome more black migrants and aid in their entrance into an industrialized workforce. In this episode of Black History In Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., with additional commentary from Nell Irvin Painter of Princeton University and Farah Griffin of Columbia University, we look at how black people left the south in hopes of freedom, equality, and new opportunities. Black History in Two Minutes or so