black History in Two Minutes (or so)
Black History in Two Minutes (or so) is the new way to immerse yourself in Black History. The digital video series features dozens of short, engaging and factually accurate videos about important historical events or people who have shaped American history. Like never before, people of all ages, backgrounds and educational levels can learn more about the African American experience.
Launched in 2019 by visionary Executive Producer Robert F. Smith, who is the Founder, Chairman and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, the media platform has covered topics from the beginning of American history to the present day. To ensure historical accuracy, the episodes are well researched and narrated by renowned historian and Executive Producer, Henry Louis Gates Jr. Teaching guides for educators also accompany some of the episodes, affording teachers the ability to incorporate the information from the videos, and the videos themselves, into their lessons.
As an award-winning series, Black History in Two Minutes has received numerous accolades, including two Webby Awards in 2020, 2 more in 2021 and yet again, 1 more in 2022.
Check out some of the episodes for yourself below.
Jackie Robinson Integrates Baseball
On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson tore down the color barrier and became the first black baseball player to play in the Major League…
Frederick Douglass | The Most Photographed American of the 19th Century
Born into slavery as Frederick Douglass in 1818, this renowned lecturer and author would become one of the greatest public speakers of his…
Black Power
In 1965, one of the last traceable remnants of Jim Crow ideology were thought to be taken off the books with the passage of the Voting…
Booker T. Washington
In 1872, Booker T. Washington traveled 500 miles on foot to the Hampton Institute in Virginia. That journey, in turn, laid the foundation —…
The Double V Campaign of World War II
The Double V Campaign was launched by a prominent black newspaper, the Pittsburgh Courier, in 1942. The campaign came in response to buzz…
The Fisk Jubilee Singers: Perform the Spirituals and Save Their University
Fisk University was founded in Nashville, Tenn. in 1866. As an institution for African-American students, their first years of inception…