**EPISODE FOUR** “Making A Way Out Of No Way” Airing on PBS Tuesday 11/12/2013 8 p.m. ET/PT Check your local listings>>
During the Jim Crow era, African Americans struggled to build their own worlds within the harsh, narrow confines of segregation. At the turn of the 20th century, a steady stream of African Americans migrated away from the South, fleeing racial violence and searching for better opportunities in the North and the West. At the same time, there was an ascendance of black arts and culture, such as The Harlem Renaissance.
Making a Way Out of No Way is episode four of the six-part series, The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Jr
**EPISODE THREE** “Into The Fire” (1861-1896) Premieres Tuesday, November 5, 2013 @ 8 p.m. ET/PT >Check your local listing..Whatever you do; don’t miss IT!
Episode Two >> “The Age of Slavery* (1800 -1860) Due to air 10/29/2013(Check local listings)
…”The Age of Slavery illustrates how black lives changed dramatically in the aftermath of the American Revolution. For free black people in places like Philadelphia, these years were a time of tremendous opportunity. But for most African-Americans, this era represented a new nadir. The cotton industry fueled the rapid expansion of slavery into new territories, and a Second Middle Passage forcibly relocated African-Americans from the Upper South into the Deep South. Yet as slavery intensified, so did resistance. From individual acts to mass rebellions, African-Americans demonstrated their determination to undermine and ultimately eradicate slavery in every state in the nation. Courageous individuals, such as Harriet Tubman, Richard Allen and Frederick Douglass, played a crucial role in forcing the issue of slavery to the forefront of national politics, helping to create the momentum that would eventually bring the country to civil war…”
>>After watching Episode One on its 10/22/2013 air date..I decided I wanted to share with y’all about the PBS ongoing series..It is hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr and consists of six episodes..I’ve attempted to post a copy of the video preview for episode two; but it is registering an error message. Ugh! If nothing else hope this serves as a notice to all of the upcoming episodes. The first episode kept me glued to my seat for the entire hour! I’ll post air dates for episode three & on when it becomes available. If you missed episode one; it can be viewed online at PBS. (and quite possibly PBS will re-air it on TV until episode 2 airs) Feel free to post your comments here after viewing each episode..
Berna's Vibe~The Way I See IT.... 
Reblogged this on The ObamaCratā¢.
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I really, really LOVE that you re-blogged this..For? I think it is a great teaching lesson that every single American should see..Could get a lot deeper about this, as I’m sure you could also, but time doesn’t permit me to right now..As always its a pleasure knowing you stopped by & shared this post with your readers. Merci beaucoup!
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I have missed your presence the past week…guess I am waaaaay down your list of “needs.” Enjoy your weekend and your life my dear Bernadette.
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Waving my Jueseppi! Actually nothing could be further from the truth@you’re waaaay down on my list of “needs” I also miss our interactions here & there; about politics and…everything. I’ve not a complaint in the world; yet? If I did have but one complaint it would be I neeeeed more time & hours in a day..Twice this week I was knocked OUT by 9 p.m..rest of the week I was trying to read, and do chores, and read and watch a few interesting things on the boob tube and of course? Talk and talk and talk…but its the weekend & I’m looking forward to running into you. Very soon..we’ve so much to get caught up on š
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Yes we do have to ketchup….and U know where 2 find me. š
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Virtual high 5^..
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š
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I watched this the other night & thought it was really interesting. It was crazy to find out that all of the other countries that had slaves were far more “civil” about it then the United States was. It’s like what started off as “free labor” turned into pure hatred in this country.
Also, when they had the cooking segment I realized I haven’t had Hopping John since New Year’s. Lol!
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Waving Sis! This is where it gets a bit “sticky” with sharing information…As I said I was sitting on the edge of my seat watching episode one..SO much information jammed into an hour, right? Thanks to a good friend of mine I was alerted to watch it when it was first aired..However, when I heard the word “slaves” attached to the people of Sierra Leone I was shocked! Shocked because a very good friend of mine is from Sierra Leone & has taught me alot about the history…He painstakingly(its an emotional topic for him) explained to me that it was NOT slavery..He went on to say that people from the outside have a hard time grasping the concept of “chiefdoms”..He points out that slavery IS defined as the “buying & selling ” of people..He contends that that wasn’t the case in Sierra Leone; instead it was “servitude” . And yes, there is a difference..What I’ve learned of Sierra Leone, and I wish the documentary had the time to explain(though I understand it is difficult to jam so much into a mere hour…) is that Sierra Leone was known as “a province of FREEdom’..Which is why it was formed..The colony was formed largely by Black immigrants (former slaves & free Blacks) who sought refuge with the British during the American Revolutionary War..The Capital of Sierra Leone established roughly in 1792 is called , Freetown, for that very reason..When I told another good friend of mine (he is from Nigeria) about the term slave attached to Sierra Leone & thus Africa; he said that is not true as well..He said don’t they know why Sierra Leone was formed & what it represents??? ‘
As with anything it is often difficult to explain things as they were and are; to outsiders..While I do give massive credit to Henry Louis Gates, Jr(who happens to be a Harvard professor, very good friend of Pres. Obama, author of 16 books, and long-term researched of Black history) for making this documentary possible..For it is a very good “start” into delving into Black history; I think it is highly important to make sure one is disseminating “facts” ..Willing to bet he’s gotten quite alot of feedback about using the word “slaves” instead of “servitude”.When it was explained to me I can grasp it like this..No different that in our country we’d not call maids slaves..I’m glad however the documentary did indeed say that slavery was a detachment of people from being human..Clearly it was created to dehumanize people..I agree, C.V., there was hardly anything CIVIL involved when Europeans(White folks) entered the picture.
Lol@hopping john..Mmmmm..You know what I’ve learned? MANY of the dishes still cooked by Africans we, as American Blacks, have incorporated into our dishes..Since moving to the East Coast I’ve had the pleasure! of friending people from Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Haiti, Jamica, etc..I love GOOD food & there aren’t many of the African dishes that I don’t like..
I’m hopeful my African friends comment on this topic..I know for a fact they read my blog; and it would be so cool to see & read their input..In the meantime? I’ll try my best to share what they’ve taught me; as well as what I’ve learned over years of reading & reading & reading..My Dad is a MAJOR history buff & has taught me Black History since I was an infant. Yep, before I could even talk lol! I’m sure NONE of my friends can imagine a time I couldn’t talk. Lolllll
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LOL! I thought something was fishy when he said Africans had slaves. In my mind, Africans had workers from surrounding countries but they weren’t FORCED to work. And there was no cruelty involved. Maybe Prof. Gates will shed some light on it all during next weeks episode.
Looking forward to your commentary after next Tuesday! (wink wink)
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Exactly, I it caught me off guard as well..Actually? I think there could be entire episodes upon episodes about each country in Africa..Rich history that can’t be served justice by a single snippet in an hour episode(but again I give Gates credit for hosting & probably pushing this documentary) The words pawns, servant, subject, serf could better explain the “domestics” that explain the process of chiefdom back then..By the way this process was abolished in 1928 in Sierra Leone..Sounds somewhat like the class system that existed in Britain..I tell you the more I learn; the more there IS to learn! Another tidbit of info I didn’t know that my friend told me? First Lady Obama’s roots reach back to Sierra Leone..
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Really?! Pretty interesting.
I love that she’s a woman of color. She wear her head scarf at night, just like I do! LOL!
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Ok?? I love that both of them are BLACK..America needed it to begin to heal the open wounds..Racism is so played out & ridiculous..Next UP for America? It is time for a woman president..But that is my liberated & feminist side creeping out to speak out LOUD..
Anyways..Yes, I’m sure she does wear her hair scarf..Girl, until I get married again I’ll be wearing mine too..Actually I wear a type of silk cap..Once I’m married again I’ll wrap it again..Minor adjustments to look cute all night will be in order..Oooo la la..but I digress..The friend I mentioned from Sierra Leone? Has meant Michelle Obama; so that is how he found out about her roots first hand..Like folks raised in African countries; I think it is important for us(American Blacks) to know our history also..We’re one of the few “peoples” in America whose history has been tainted, covered, tapped out, left out and distorted..A people who weren’t even allowed to keep their own surnames..Jeeez when I think of some of that stuff it just leaves me with an over whelming feeling at times..And an intense desire to learn more and more about my roots. (pretty lucky though because my Dad’s done about 20 plus years of research on ours) I’m so glad you are also watching the episodes, yay!
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Yup! We’ll talk next week about it =)
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Did you catch the 2nd episode? Word got out and alot more friends/fam in my circle watched the second episode..I’m loving IT..Stay tuned for it on the 5th…
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Yes, I saw it! I loved hearing about the Nat Turner revolt. =)
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Greatttt so glad you caught it. I’m loving all of it..And looks like that is the fave hour for me to get phone calls..Next Tuesday? I’m turning my phones on mute š
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