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.
Henrietta Lacks: The Woman with the Immortal Cells
In February 1951, a young African-American woman by the name of Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cervical cancer.…
The Beginning of Black History: Juan Garrido
In the early 1500s, a West African man named Juan Garrido joined the ranks of Spanish explorers who ventured out in hopes of discovering…
Protesting the Birth of a Nation
In 1915, D.W. Griffith, released a film that would go down as one of the most disturbing representations of black Americans ever, The Birth…
The Harlem Renaissance
With a Jim Crow south alive and well, many black Americans migrated north. This migration resulted in the formation of a creative urban hub…
The Clotilda
In 2019, researchers were able to properly authenticate the last known slave ship to enter the United States illegally. That ship, The…
The Second Middle Passage
As the United States began to expand, the demand for cotton led to an increase of slave trades in the country. Eager to capitalize, slave…