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The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross

The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross

This series chronicles the full sweep of African American history, from the origins of slavery on the African continent right up to today when America remains a nation deeply divided by race.

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4:42
A new African American cultural identity resonated throughout American culture.
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3:28
Non-violent passive resistance required much preparation and mental strength.
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6:23
Barack Obama's election to the presidency exemplifies changing attitudes about race.
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4:01
Rosa Parks was a seasoned activist who planned her action on a Montgomery bus.
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1:44
Learn about the Great Migration, when African-Americans left the South in large numbers.
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4:33
The oppression of African Americans continued following the Emancipation Proclamation.
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6:30
Charles Hamilton Houston and Victor Hugo Green fought for equality.
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6:07
White people resented African Americans’ prosperity, and their alleged equality.
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5:17
After Martin Luther King Jr. was killed, the Black Panthers advocated armed resistance.
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4:46
Affirmative action paired with changing social attitudes to nurture a black middle class.
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5:12
President Reagan's "War on Drugs" fell disproportionally hard on black communities.
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4:08
Daunting economic challenges were made worse by the deindustrialization of urban areas.
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