All Seasons

Season 1

  • S01E01 Positive Behavior

    • July 2, 1968
    • PBS

    As Dr. Angelou puts it: "What is Africa to me?" Includes scenes of Dr. Angelou in the studio discussing "positive Africanisms": children's games, dance, poetry, religion and the blues.

  • S01E02 Negative Behavior

    • July 9, 1968
    • PBS

    Dr. Angelou is in the studio discussing issues relating to "negative Africanisms," which she characterizes as modes of behavior which were neccesary as survival tactics for African Americans.

  • S01E03 History

    • July 19, 1968
    • PBS

    Dr. Angelou is in the studio reflecting on Africa's history and rich cultural legacy, using poetry, dance, analysis of the oral tradition and an interview with South African poet Willie Kgositsi.

  • S01E04 Music

    • July 24, 1968
    • PBS

    Dr. Angelou discusses the function of music in Africa (used to communicate, entertain and instruct) and how slavery influenced the evolution of African American spiritual music.

  • S01E05 Effective Teaching of African History

    • July 30, 1968
    • PBS

    Dr. Angelou is in the studio explaining why she feels it's essential to teach students a fully balanced account of African history.

  • S01E06 Education

    • August 2, 1968
    • PBS

    Dr. Angelou reflects on how education has the power to transform or destroy the lives of African Americans.

  • S01E07 Business

    • August 8, 1968
    • PBS

    Dr. Angelou argues that it's useless for African Americans to try and conform to white middle-class values, if they want to lead a productive and fulfilling life.

  • S01E08 Art & Literature

    • August 9, 1968
    • PBS

    Dr. Angelou discusses "black art and black literature," with performances by Preston Webster (with Charles Hester), the Danny Duncan Dancers and students from the Martin Luther King School.

  • S01E09 Violence

    • August 16, 1968
    • PBS

    Dr. Angelou reflects on "violence in the black American world." She declares that: "I dedicate this program to the memory of Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Denmark Vesey ... to Dr. DuBois ... to the men and women who are nameless ... whose blood, whose agony we inherit."

  • S01E10 Series Summary

    • August 19, 1968
    • PBS

    Dr. Angelou recaps on subjects covered in the previous nine episodes and also provides a selected reading list (which appears on-screen) of books she feels will assist viewers for their own personal research. Ends with Dr. Angelou reading Margaret Walker's poem 'For My People', first published in 1942.