Africans in America is now available on DVD! Everything you thought you knew about slavery is about to be challenged. Africans in America: America’s Journey Through Slavery is the groundbreaking series that makes history by sharing it from a new perspective. Nearly ten years in the making, this landmark six-hour set exposes the truth through surprising revelations, dramatic recreations, rare archival photography and riveting first-person accounts.
Customer Rating: Summary: Indepth series, great for an African American History Course Comment: This series is so indepth that you may not be able to show the entire series during a regular survey course of US History. I have created video viewing guides that are available in the teacherspayteachers website for the first three segments.
Customer Rating: Summary: MUSIC IS IMPORTANT TO THIS JOURNEY Comment: Africans in America This is a wonderful series, which I like most for its tie-in with the series of music composed and compiled by Bernice Johnson Reagon and Toshi Reagon in connection with the production. I have the cds and play them all the time for the mixture of African American folkloric music mixed with the special contribution both Bernice J Reagon and her daughter Toshi Reagon are making to African American music and the light they continue to shed on the importance of African American music to American culture. Apparently, so much of our music was protest music and part of an ongoing statement of humanity despite our conditions as slaves and for many years post slavery. So I just love the it.
Customer Rating: Summary: Great educational tool. Comment: This is a great piece of history. Didn't receive 5 stars because I think the history should have continued and not ended at the point it did.
Customer Rating: Summary: A Great Companion to the Book Comment: Reading the book of the same name prompted me to purchase this DVD and I was not disappointed. It provided the same atmosphere, despair, anger, amazement, etc however I highly suggest you read the book first. As with all movies made from a book, you lose a little something because of the time constraints but this is a good way for the kids/teenagers to wet their American/Black history appetite. It is also a good way for the family to view it together and to discuss it, after, each chapter and get immediate feedback. One way or the other, you can't watch this movie and not be moved. The movie is a must in your DVD collection.
Customer Rating: Summary: Massive Amount of Information Comment: I am absolutely NOT a history buff, so when I didn't have to take a bunch of history classes in high school, I was okay with that. But when I got to Northern Michigan University and realized how some locations can completely snub African American literature by not teaching it, it annoyed me. It also made me want to learn more. Since then, I have found interesting ways to learn more about my own history. An Amazon friend gave this DVD such a high rating (and he doesn't like much of anything) so I had to check it out. I picked it up at the library figuring it was going to be pretty dry but educational. Wrong! Not only was it educational, but it was the most interesting way to ever learn about African American history for someone like me. Bassett has a wonderful storytelling voice, there were enough anecdotes to make it feel heartwrenching, the information was endless, and it was so well documented. I am completely impressed and bought a copy for myself. It's such a satisfying feeling to be able to back up emotions with actual facts and this DVD gave a lot of hidden information that we'll never find in "American" history books. Great job!
