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.
African American Higher Education
Opportunities for freed black children to further their educational journey after high school were limited. As a direct response to minimal…
Freedman’s Bank
In 1865, after the north won the Civil War, the government opened the Freedman’s Bank. This institution was geared towards nearly four…
Migrations: From Exodusters to Great Migrations
With the formal ending of slavery in place, many freed black people saw this as an opportunity to start anew. But, for those in the south,…
Lynching
Lynching was an action used to terrorize the black community for generations, with the first known public display of this injustice taking…
The Movement and Campus Violence
College campuses became integral in the quest for social reform in the 1960s. With large numbers of Black students already present,…
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…