The African Experience: From "Lucy" to Mandela

The story of Africa is the oldest and most event-filled chronicle of human activity on the planet. And in these 36 lectures, you'll explore this great historical drama, tracing the story of the Sub-Saharan region of the continent from the earliest evidence of human habitation to the latest challenges facing African nations in the 21st century. By learning with these lectures, you'll finally be able to bust myths and correct potential misunderstandings about Africa. For example, in Africa, the word "tribe" is used in a neutral way to connote ethnic identity. Another example: Sub-Saharan Africa was not as isolated as is often suggested by references to the "lost" continent; in fact, an ancient Greek sailing guide from 2,000 years ago clearly shows that the East African coast was already connected commercially with areas to the north. The primary focus of these eye-opening lectures is Sub-Saharan Africa, the region separated from North Africa by the harsh climate of the Sahara Desert and traditionally the part of the continent that has been the most mysterious and most misunderstood by Westerners. But by traveling on this exciting learning experience (one imbued with a pervasive spirit of charm and adventure), you'll finally be able to strengthen your understanding of this beautiful, multifaceted region.

All Lectures:
1. Finding the "Lost Continent"
2. Africa's Many Natural Environments
3. A Virtual Tour of the Great Land
4. The Cradle of Humankind
5. Crops, Cattle, Iron - Taming a Continent
6. Kinship and Community - Societies Take Shape
7. Like Nothing Else - The Ancient Nile Valley
8. Soul and Spirit - Religion in Africa
9. Ethiopia - Outpost of Christianity
10. West Africa's Golden Age
11. The Swahili Commercial World
12. Great Zimbabwe and the Cities of the South
13. The Atlantic Slave Trade - The Scope
14. The Atlantic Slave Trade - The Impact
15. South Africa - The Dutch Cape Colony
16. South Africa - The Zulu Kingdom
17. South Africa - The Frontier and Unification
18. South Africa - Diamonds and Gold
19. Prelude to the Scramble for Africa
20. European Conquest and African Resistance
21. Colonial Africa - New Realities
22. Colonial Africa - Comparisons and Change
23. The Lion Awakens - The Rise of Nationalism
24. The Peaceful Paths to Independence
25. The Congo - Promise and Pain
26. Segregation to Apartheid in South Africa
27. The Armed Struggles for Independence
28. The First Taste of Freedom
29. The Taste Turns Sour
30. The World Turns Down - The "Permanent Crisis"
31. A New Dawn? The Democratic Revival
32. The South African Miracle
33. The Unthinkable - The Rwanda Genocide
34. The New Plague - HIV/AIDS in Africa
35. Zimbabwe - Background to Contemporary Crisis
36. Africa Found