The African Americans:  Many Rivers to Cross is an award-winning 6-part PBS series written and presented by Harvard University scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr..  The DVD is being shown in 6 parts by Blair Seitz of Reading Meeting’s Peace and Social Concerns Committee.  Each episode will be followed by a short discussion.  Please come to Reading Meeting to see all or some of the episodes.  See the below dates. 

This film narrates the African-American experience from the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade to the reelection and 2nd inauguration of President Barack Obama.  This DVD explores the evolution of the African-American people, as well as the assortment of cultural institutions, political strategies, and religious and social perspective they developed --- forging their own history, culture and society against unimaginable odds.  5 centuries of notable historic events in a nation that is still intensely divided by race.  

Episode One: "The Black Atlantic" (1500–1800), Monday, October 12th, 7 p.m.

Episode Two: "The Age of Slavery" (1800–1860), Monday, October 26th, 7 p.m.

Episode Three: "Into the Fire" (1861–1896), Monday, November 9th, 7 p.m.

Episode Four: "Making a Way Out of No Way" (1897–1940), Monday, November 23rd, 7 p.m.

Episode Five: "Rise!" (1940–1968), Monday, January 11, 2016, 7 p.m.

Episode Six: "A More Perfect Union" (1968–2013), Monday, January 25th, 7 p.m.  

Location:  108 N 6th St, Reading, PA 19601, plenty of parking behind the Meetinghouse.