Africans in America: America's Journey Through Slavery

I love history to death also. Looking back and studying history can help you find out who you are and where the world is going due to history often repeats itself. This six hour dvd is packed with information about slavery and its history. The documentary goes so deep into detail that it will have unknown information for the most scholarly historian. Features like this are important for children of afrikan descent due to the fact it seems that the school system isn't teaching this aspect of history and making sure our youth understands the importance of the events that happened. This documentary is highly recommended for your collection.

This DVD is great. It talks and tells alot of stuff I didnt know nor had any idea. Like exactly how Haiti became... Haiti, Our presidents... how the north and south were different and how they were the same at one point... USA fighting for independence and at the same time, Africans in America fighting for independence as well... and it talks about Native Americans as well. This is very very helpful for those who are actually interested in American history.

I read the book based on this documentary and can honestly tell you there is no contest here, the book is far better. I could not help but notice as I watched this film how under developed it was, I mean if I had not read the book I would have been confused about the persons being mentioned in this film. The book made me feel for the slaves because of the details and extensiveness of the person's personality being mentioned. when the same character was mentioned in the film it did nothing or added anything to the film itself. I understand that it is impossible to put the whole content of a book into a documentary but a little more character development would have helped this piece a lot more.
The historians really saved this documentary for me, it was their comments and insights that kept me interested and having Collen Powell comment was pretty cool too.

Another gripe I have about this film are the voices being used incorrectly, for instance I was listening to a man who sounded like a big black southern man quoting Thomas Jefferson as a portrait of Jefferson was displayed on the TV screen. Not very convincing.

Do not get me wrong this film was good, but it can not be compared to the caliber of a Ken Burns type documentary.

Bottom line, it was good but could have been a lot better.
*** out of *****

THE FULL TRUTH!!! I bet just the open minded will be able to take it well! I rented this series through BlatinoVideo.com, a DVD rental site witch specialty is the Black and Latino motion pictures... THey recommended AMAZON as the best place to buy this film.

You won't be the same after watching this amazing well done documentary. There are moments that will move you to tears. It's a declaration that Black American history IS AMERICAN HISTORY! How can an American go through life not knowing so many famous names like Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth, you don't get more American than that. EXCELLENT, a must buy!