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.
Barack Obama’s 2008 Election
During the 2004 Democratic National Convention, a first-term senator named Barack Obama from Illinois delivered a speech that exuded…
Job Ben Solomon
In 1730, Job Ben Solomon — a Senegalese man and active slave trader — was captured during an excursion in the Gambian River region. Once…
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,…
Free Black Americans Before the Civil War
Even though slavery ended in the 1860s, free Black Americans made up 10% of the United States Black population. While the rest of the…
Black Power and the Birth of Black Studies
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination not only further ignited the civil rights movement, but it also inspired students in the…
Convict Leasing
Although the 13th Amendment passed the Senate in 1864 and the House in 1865, the loopholes that exist continue to wreak havoc on the…