Making Black America

The Evolution of Black Literature

Clip: Episode 1 | 52s  | Video has closed captioning.

The first episode of "Making Black America" includes an exploration of the evolution of Black Literature, including a discussion on poet Frances Ellen Watkins Harper. She influenced her fellow Black writers to expand the subjects of their work to include universal feelings, such as love, loss, aspiration, to showcase the Black experience beyond oppression by White people.

Aired: 06/16/22

Rating: NR

Buy Now:

Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning

Major corporate support for MAKING BLACK AMERICA: THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE is provided by Bank of America. Corporate support is also provided by Johnson & Johnson. Major support is also provided …

Explore Our Shared Histories

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Series

Explore Our Shared Histories

Stream more from Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. through iconic series like Making Black America, Finding Your Roots, and The Black Church. Discover the ancestry of diverse, influential people and delve into the rich history and culture of Black America.

Learn More

More History Shows

  • Gods of Tennis
  • American Experience
  • Secrets of the Dead
  • The Civil War
  • Benjamin Franklin
  • The Vietnam War
  • American Masters
  • My Grandparents’ War
  • A More or Less Perfect Union, A Personal Exploration by Judge Douglas Ginsburg
  • Monstrum
  • Origin of Everything
  • The U.S. and the Holocaust