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African American History: From the African Coast to the Civil War

Relive the astonishing journey of African Americans, from the dehumanizing experience of slavery to the remarkable chronicle of their endurance, resistance, and passionate battle for liberty and justice.
 
 
Rated 2 out of 5 by from Good lectures, but selective biases on display Overall, on the positive side, Dr. Alexander is a good lecturer. She is clear and concise, and there’s a lot of interesting material here. However, there are some problems. Most egregious is her deliberate denigration of the role Lincoln played in emancipation. Dr. Alexander apparently is of the highly selective and unbalanced Lerone Bennett school of Lincoln scholars. In Lectures 22-24 she repeatedly drops innuendos and half-truths and omits information that might put Lincoln in a better light. Space is limited, and I’ll give but a few examples. Dr. Alexander for some reason tells us that Lincoln when he campaigned was not in favor of immediate total abolition. First, there was no “campaign.” Lincoln kept home and kept silent after his nomination, as was usual at the time. Further, extremely few candidates in any contest campaigned in favor of total abolition, and fewer still won. If Lincoln had been in favor of immediate total abolition he never would have been nominated, much less won the election. Abolitionists were a relatively tiny slice of the northern population and were considered radical extremists. None of the candidates at the 1860 Republican convention favored immediate total abolition. None of the four 1860 presidential candidates favored immediate total abolition. It’s highly unlikely that any of the other three candidates, had they won, would have issued an emancipation proclamation as soon as Lincoln did, or at all. Dr. Alexander says that when the war began “it seemed that the North would be perfectly content” to repair the breach and allow slavery to persist. She implies, of course, that northerners like Lincoln were “perfectly content” with slavery. Not so. Lincoln, for one, was willing to tolerate slavery since it was protected by the Constitution, and he and many others perceived that toleration was necessary to keep the Union together. That had been true since at least the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Dr. Alexander also tells us that Lincoln was “willing to allow slavery to thrive where it already existed.” Why “thrive”? More accurately, for the sake of the Union Lincoln was willing to tolerate slavery where it already existed in the hope and belief it would eventually be eradicated. Dr. Alexander can’t resist referring to Lincoln’s “reluctant decision” to issue the Emancipation Proclamation (EP). Why might he have been reluctant? Alexander doesn’t tell us, except for a vague reference to his “political quandary,” and except for what inferences we may draw from that reluctance and the suggestion that Lincoln was “perfectly content” to allow slavery to “thrive.” However, while hardly a modern-day egalitarian, throughout his life Lincoln had made it clear that he abhorred slavery. But he also knew that the Constitution protected slavery, and Lincoln had taken an oath to protect and defend that Constitution. Lincoln had no legal authority to emancipate slaves, except perhaps as a war measure, so it had to be narrowly crafted. That is why it applied only to areas still in rebellion. Legally, constitutionally, that’s all Lincoln could have done. And even that was subject to eventual review by the Supreme Court, with uncertain result, which is why Lincoln later pushed so hard for the 13th Amendment. But Dr. Alexander never tells us any of this. (Nor of course does Bennett in his tedious and repetitive diatribe.) Dr. Alexander (and Bennett) ignore that all the proclamations in the world wouldn’t help the slaves if the South won. Issuing such a proclamation before the North was ready to accept it would have at least eroded if not eviscerated the war effort. An EP issued too early may have been disastrous for the Union. Among other things, a premature proclamation probably would have impelled at least three of the four border states, if not all four, to quit the Union. Yet Dr. Alexander wants us to believe that Lincoln issued it only “begrudgingly” in response to pressure, as if he could or should have issued it at the beginning of the war. Lincoln also was persuaded to wait for something that could be called a Union military victory, which finally came at Antietam. She says he received “crushing criticism” throughout the North for the delay, without mentioning that he also came under crushing criticism when he issued the EP. It was hardly uniformly well received even in the North. Largely because of the EP Republicans fared very poorly in the 1862 mid-terms. Some Union soldiers, willing to fight for the Union, were not willing to fight for the slaves. In Lecture 23 Dr. Alexander describes in detail the New York draft riots of July 1863. But why did the rioters take out their anger on the Black community? Yes, they didn’t like the draft, but really didn’t like being drafted to fight for the Blacks, as they perceived it. That was the response of many in the Union army – they would fight for the Union, but not to end slavery. For that reason, Lincoln had to couch the proclamation narrowly as a war measure, for the overriding goal of winning the war militarily. Dr. Alexander quotes from the famous letter to Greeley in August 1862 (without so identifying it). Dr. Alexander wants us to believe this shows that Lincoln didn’t care about slavery one way or the other. Rather, the letter was Lincoln’s attempt to lay the groundwork for issuing the EP (which he had already drafted), to shore up support even among those segments of the northern population that wouldn’t support emancipation except as a war measure. Yet we hear none of this from Dr. Alexander. Dr. Alexander further derides the EP on the ground that Lincoln “was trying to pass a law in another country,” i.e., the Confederacy. But the “Confederate States of American” was never recognized by Lincoln or by the United States as “another country.” As far as the Lincoln Administration was concerned, the so-called CSA was and remained part of the United States. That the U.S. military did not at the time control all of it was of no legal import. Dr. Alexander cynically asks, “[W]hy did the Emancipation Proclamation become important at all?” She answers by saying that “Black people believed they were finally free,” which helped precipitate the collapse of the southern economy. Fair enough, but how about this for a further answer? Blacks in areas controlled by the South became legally free on January 1, 1863, and became actually as well as legally free when the Union later took control of those areas. Indeed, even Dr. Alexander acknowledges that the Union army “spread the word of freedom as they advanced into the South.” But it was more than this. Because of the EP, freedom legally came to those areas into which the Union army advanced. So the EP indeed ultimately had “legitimate legal standing” in at least some parts of the Confederacy, contrary to what Dr. Alexander says. This was no small thing. Further attempting to derogate the Emancipation Proclamation, in Lecture 24 Dr. Alexander tells us that Congress in December 1865 ratified the 13th Amendment “which sought to offer a corrective” to the Emancipation Proclamation. First, no, Congress completed its responsibilities in January 1865 when the House passed the amendment. It was ratification by the states that was finally completed in December. More importantly, once again, Dr. Alexander can’t refrain from taking a shot at Lincoln. Lincoln knew as well as anyone that the EP was vulnerable to legal challenge. The war was over, and so was the legal rationale behind the EP. It didn’t need a “corrective.” It needed to be supplanted by legislation, or better yet, by a constitutional amendment. That’s precisely why Lincoln fought hard for passage by Congress of the amendment. Once again, Dr. Alexander tells us none of this. Dr. Alexander asks in Lecture 23 why the EP was successful. She gives one answer, that enslaved people fled the plantations which led to the collapse of the Southern economy. Again, fair enough, but there were other reasons as well why the EP was successful. It kept Britain from supporting the Confederacy. It provided the North a moral purpose to the war even beyond saving the Union. The Union army became an army of liberation. That it legally and practically freed so many slaves provided momentum for eventual passage of the 13th Amendment. In short, intellectual honesty should compel any lecturer to at least acknowledge that there’s another side to the story of Lincoln as emancipator. Yes, to a significant extent the slaves freed themselves by fleeing. But there’s more to the story, which Dr. Alexander downplays, denigrates or ignores. I recommend James McPherson’s essay, “Who Freed the Slaves?” appearing in his book Drawn With the Sword, and also Who Freed the Slaves?: The Fight Over the Thirteenth Amendment, by Leonard L. Richards. On Lincoln’s evolution over time, see Eric Foner, The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery.
Date published: 2025-12-08
Rated 5 out of 5 by from My Review for African American History: From the A I find it hard to believe that this course does not stress the role of the Yoruba in the slave heist with the Portuguese. There was a conflict between those who believed in Obatala and those of Odudua in Late Formative Period of Ife 800 - 1000 AD. Especially in Cuba, but I suspect all across the US, the Yoruba who believed in Obatala created syncretic religions with Catholicism.
Date published: 2025-10-08
Rated 5 out of 5 by from African American History Excellence This is an awesome narration of African American history! A must view for all! It certainly sheds light and answers questions about matters impacting the plight of Africans both domestic and abroad today!
Date published: 2025-05-21
Rated 5 out of 5 by from What a terrific set of lectures. I learned a lot, really enjoyed the lectures, the Professor is super eloquent and course content is well delivered. Loved the visuals - photos and artworks all throughout. I would highly recommend this series.
Date published: 2025-04-01
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Excellent, broad perspective I enjoyed the different perspective the professor gave to this topic. The historical context that led to American slavery in the first place was particularly informative. Her ability to tell the story dynamically, without losing impartiality is greatly appreciated. I'll be honest that I was nervous that I might feel "white guilt" after listening to this series. Instead, I gained understanding about the topic, so I can then form my own feelings about where all this takes us. Next time I listen to a debate about civil rights issues in the U.S., I can feel more informed. Plus, this was such a spirited presentation, consider listening to the series just for the fun of it!
Date published: 2024-12-15
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Outstanding, comprehensive, very-well presenteded! Very happy I purchased thos lecured, presented by a very knowlegeable professor of African-American history even before colonial times, with relevant visuals, demonstrating expertise in this subject beyond expectations. I consider myself very well-informed of African-American history, but Professior Alexander covers this subject, increasing my understanding and awareness enormously, placing this history in context easily understood. This is a subperb, spell-bounding presentation unparralled in its depth and breathe. I highly recommend this lecture series to all. This is 5-Star Plus!
Date published: 2024-11-28
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Captivating Excellent course and wonderful delivery by the presenter. Strongly recommend.
Date published: 2024-10-09
Rated 5 out of 5 by from Must See Course A while back, I changed my rating system to give four stars to those courses that I think are good and that I recommend. I reserve five stars to “must see” courses that are a cut above “interesting.” This course is a “must see” course. This is Black Studies at its best – rigorous scholarship in a focused area of academic history with a dash of sociology tossed in. The course conveys knowledge, not judgment. Perhaps every lecture says things that are very hard to hear, but knowledge is to be useful rather than fun. I recommend this course for every American adult. (Although there is no content warning, much content may not be suitable for children or young teens.) This course describes the history of slavery of those of African descent from the introduction of slavery in the United States to the legal emancipation following the Civil War. Unfortunately, this course overlooks Native American and blacks as slaveholders; I believe an examination of these phenomena would have added depth to the course. The course begins by describing the West African empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay, and the coastal regions to their south, which eventually provided most of the African American slaves. The course then proceeds in a generally chronological manner including the slave trade, slavery in colonial America, the promise and ultimate disappointment of the American Revolution, African American resistance to slavery, the anti-slavery and abolitionist movements, African Americans in Northern states, and the Civil War. The course focuses on the personal experience of African Americans and is surprisingly muted on the national politics of slavery. That said, Lectures 21-23 on the causes and conduct of the Civil War do shift attention to national politics before returning to personal experience in the concluding lecture on Reconstruction. Dr. Anderson is fair and factual throughout the course despite its potentially volatile material. The video presentation is mostly her sitting in a chair although there are many illustrations such as drawings of enslaved persons on ships or portraits of notable persons. There are few graphics that actually add value to the lectures. Perhaps this is due to the emphasis on personal experiences, which does not lend itself to maps or tables. The course guide is slightly above average by The Great Courses (TGC) standards. It is written in narrative format as opposed to bullet or outline format. It averages about 8 pages per lecture, a little more than TGC average. Only one graphic to add value to the written material (a diagram of how slaves were loaded into a slave ship). There are no appendices although there is a recommended reading list at the end of each lecture. I used the video streaming version. As of 2024, this course is available only in instant video or DVD format. The student can follow the lectures in audio-only mode such as while driving or exercising. The course was published in 2024.
Date published: 2024-08-22
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African American History: From the African Coast to the Civil War

Trailer

The Origins of African Americans

01: The Origins of African Americans

Begin the course with an overview of the civilizations and societies of West Africa before the arrival of Europeans. Investigate the rise and fall of the great empires of Ghana, Mali, and Songhay, and the vast trade networks that sustained them. Then explore the rich and complex societies that thrived along the central African coastline, and how they became vulnerable to invasion.

34 min
Europe’s Expansion in the Atlantic World

02: Europe’s Expansion in the Atlantic World

Trace the rise of European exploration in the 15th century, and the factors that underlaid it. Observe how the Renaissance ideology of humanism drove a desire for expansion and wealth. Take account of the advances in military and seafaring technology that made exploration possible. Follow the first Portuguese incursions into West Africa, beginning a trade in humans that quickly became profitable.

29 min
The Transatlantic Trade in Humans

03: The Transatlantic Trade in Humans

Learn how the Portuguese developed a military presence in West Africa to protect their trade in gold and humans, followed by the Dutch, French, and British. Examine the reasons why African rulers were initially willing to traffic humans—and were, ultimately, forced to do so. Track the European expansion into the Americas, which made the demand for enslaved labor insatiable.

28 min
Enslavement from Capture to Sale

04: Enslavement from Capture to Sale

Hear firsthand accounts of the kidnapping of Africans who were sold into bondage. Observe the ways in which Africans were captured, including the enslavement of children. Visualize the long, forced marches to the coast, the suffering and death en route, and imprisonment before sale to traders. Finally, witness the dehumanizing process of the sale of captives, and the traders’ astonishing cruelty.

26 min
The Middle Passage

05: The Middle Passage

The Middle Passage was the brutal sea journey of African captives to slavery in the Americas. Investigate the horrific conditions of life aboard slave ships, and the numerous uprisings by Africans to regain their freedom, against a background of cruel punishments, disease, suicides, and death. Learn how Africans coped, survived, and were “seasoned” to accept a new identity as slaves.

33 min
Slavery Takes Root

06: Slavery Takes Root

Explore how slavery developed within North America’s 13 British colonies. Trace the origins of slavery in the Caribbean, and its importation to the mainland to support plantation agriculture. Examine why slavery in America became based entirely on race. Then study the colonial laws and legal codes that defined slavery and denied Africans the most basic human rights and freedoms.

32 min
Slavery in Colonial America

07: Slavery in Colonial America

Investigate the nature of slavery in America before the American Revolution. Observe how slavery took root in the Chesapeake region through tobacco cultivation, how it thrived in New England, in mostly urban settings, and in the Carolina colony through rice production. Note the differences in the experience of enslaved women from that of men, and the unrelenting cruelty of their treatment.

32 min
Black Culture and Revolt in the Colonies

08: Black Culture and Revolt in the Colonies

Discover how enslaved Africans managed to retain their heritage, despite the horrors of enslavement. Note how they practiced African methods of agriculture, cooking and consuming food, healing, and medicine, as well as music and dance traditions and religious and celebratory rituals. Learn also how cultural practices undergirded the numerous revolts by enslaved Africans seeking freedom.

33 min
Black Protest in the Age of Revolution

09: Black Protest in the Age of Revolution

Delve into the response by both enslaved and free Africans to the events of the American Revolution. Grasp their dilemma of whether to side with the British or with the American rebels and learn about the outpouring of African American men who served in both armies, hoping for freedom following the conflict. Assess the painful outcome for Africans, as the slave system expanded dramatically after the war.

32 min
Black Enlightenment Thought

10: Black Enlightenment Thought

Trace the lives of Phillis Wheatley and Benjamin Banneker, two African American intellectuals who achieved wide recognition in literature and science. Drawing on the principles of the American Revolution, observe how many enslaved Africans leveraged the legal system to petition for their freedom and human rights, winning lawsuits and setting legal precedents for the abolition of slavery in the North.

31 min
Freedom’s Failures

11: Freedom’s Failures

Here, study the process and the aftermath of legal emancipation in the North. See how slavery was legally abolished in northern states, and the economic shifts, religious movements, and currents of thought that influenced abolition. Examine Northern policies of “gradual emancipation,” and the lingering opposition to ending slavery, as well as African American poverty, that plagued northern societies.

30 min
How Cotton Revived Slavery

12: How Cotton Revived Slavery

Slavery expanded dramatically in the South following the Revolution. Track the rise of cotton production, its vast need for labor, and the strategies of plantation owners to satisfy the need. Delve into enslaved life on cotton plantations; the routines of cotton cultivation; and the extreme brutality and legal strictures that sustained the slavery system, noting particularly what enslaved women endured.

34 min
Black Culture and Resistance in the South

13: Black Culture and Resistance in the South

Uncover the ways in which the enslaved created meaningful lives despite their bondage. See how enslaved Africans forged alternative conceptions of family, developed a Christian “liberation theology,” and expressed themselves through humor and music. Observe their many forms of daily resistance, from concealing their feelings and deceiving slaveholders to creatively protecting each other.

31 min
Armed Rebellion in the Antebellum Era

14: Armed Rebellion in the Antebellum Era

Take the measure of the Haitian Revolution, where Africans threw off the yoke of slavery and established an independent Black nation. Grasp how the events in Haiti inspired and influenced numerous armed uprisings in the United States, highlighting the Virginia rebellion of 1800, the Louisiana uprising of 1811, the South Carolina revolt of 1822, and the landmark Nat Turner rebellion of 1831.

32 min
Free Black Communities in the North

15: Free Black Communities in the North

Examine the hopes of newly emancipated Africans in the North, and why they dissolved into severe hardship and suffering. Following emancipation, track the growth of African American social and political organizations, churches, and schools. Witness the violent backlash of white Northerners, in the massive anti-Black riots of the early 19th century, destroying African American communities in northern cities.

30 min
Black Nationalism and Emigration

16: Black Nationalism and Emigration

Chart the rise of emigration movements, as Northern African Americans considered relocation to more welcoming countries. Follow the unfolding of Black emigration to Canada, Sierra Leone, Haiti, and Liberia, and the advent of the American Colonization Society, a white organization aiming to forcibly remove African Americans from the United States. See why emigration movements eventually fell into disrepute.

33 min
From Antislavery to Abolition

17: From Antislavery to Abolition

In the early 19th century, a full-fledged abolition movement emerged in the United States. Learn how African American activists inspired antislavery leaders to call for an immediate end to slavery, and how the work of white abolitionist William Garrison culminated in the American Anti-Slavery Society. Trace the role of women in the abolitionist cause, and the ideological rifts that caused the movement to fracture.

30 min
Black Political Thinkers in the North

18: Black Political Thinkers in the North

Follow the development of African American political and intellectual thought in the antebellum North, through the lives of major activists. Begin with David Walker, author of an incendiary treatise against slavery. Continue with Maria Stewart, an impassioned writer and speaker; famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass; and Sojourner Truth, who championed both emancipation and women’s rights.

32 min
The Black Struggle for Citizenship

19: The Black Struggle for Citizenship

Take account of the deep conflicts over strategy that challenged the abolitionist movement in the 1840s, dividing advocates for moral appeals to white Americans against those favoring direct or violent action in the name of freedom. Then see how African American activists successfully fought segregation in the North and waged a concerted battle for unrestricted voting rights and full rights of citizenship.

29 min
Running for Freedom

20: Running for Freedom

This lecture follows the stories of fugitives, enslaved people who sacrificed everything to free themselves from bondage. Better understand why fugitivity was a major and ongoing irritant for Southern enslavers. Learn about the severe perils of escape and hear accounts of famous fugitives who used ingenious strategies to gain freedom. Learn about the remarkable organizations that arose to assist fugitives.

31 min
Slavery Splinters the Union

21: Slavery Splinters the Union

In the 1850s, the battles regarding slavery tore the Union apart, leading inexorably to the Civil War. Examine the economic and political debates over slavery, and the conflicts over free versus slave states that deepened the tensions between North and South. Witness the events of the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act, and John Brown’s Raid, as the country teetered toward war.

33 min
The Politics of Emancipation

22: The Politics of Emancipation

Relive the opening of the Civil War and explore how African Americans responded to the conflict. See how enslaved people in the South seized the opportunity to gain their freedom and trace the conflicted impulses of Black Northerners. Grapple with the myth of Abraham Lincoln as the “Great Emancipator” and track his political quandary as he faced increasing pressure to emancipate the enslaved.

27 min
Battling the Curse of Slavery

23: Battling the Curse of Slavery

With the Union’s acceptance of African American soldiers, see how African Americans faced severe discrimination in the military. Note their bravery in military actions, turning the tide of the war. Investigate lingering Northern racism, and the horrific anti-Black violence in New York City in retaliation for the draft. Learn how the exodus of the enslaved in the South precipitated the end of the Civil War.

33 min
The Fruits and Failures of Reconstruction

24: The Fruits and Failures of Reconstruction

Conclude with a look at the conditions for Black Americans in the aftermath of the Civil War. Learn about the policies of Reconstruction, as America adjusted to a post-slavery reality. Observe how African Americans initially made strong advances into business and politics but were impeded by anti-Black sentiment, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, and a stringent re-imposition of white supremacy.

35 min

Overview Course No. 30160

Owing to the legacy of slavery, African Americans have faced significant obstacles to obtaining the fundamental rights of freedom and citizenship. The consistent struggle among African Americans to gain their human rights live at the heart of the American experiment in democracy.

In the 24 compelling lectures of African American History: From the African Coast to the Civil War, take a penetrating look at the experience of African Americans in the colonial and antebellum eras, where you’ll:

  • Study the brutality and inhumanity of slave trading and learn how slavery took root in colonial American society.
  • Learn how enslaved African Americans endured and created meaningful lives and take stock of the horrific cruelty that undergirded the slavery system.
  • Witness how enslaved African Americans worked against the system of enslavement, bringing “freedom suits” in courts, mounting armed rebellions, developing a “liberation theology,” and more.
  • Examine the aftermath of emancipation in the North; learn how burgeoning African American communities were stymied by restriction of economic opportunity, denial of voting rights, and rampant violence.
  • Follow the abolition movements that grew in the antebellum era and study the work of African American abolitionists David Walker, Maria Stewart, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and others.
  • Learn about the role of the Union’s Black soldiers in turning the tide of the Civil War, assess the draft-related mob violence against Black people in New York City; and examine the effects of the Emancipation Proclamation.

In this multilayered course, witness the measure of a people of unbreakable spirit, and of the deepest human dimensions of American democracy.

About

Leslie Alexander
Leslie Alexander

My goal will be to expand your understanding of African American history—the breadth and depth of the Black experience in America, and also, to highlight the significance of history in the present moment.

INSTITUTION

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Leslie Alexander is the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of History at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She earned a PhD in History from Cornell University. She is the author of African or American? Black Identity and Political Activism in New York City, 1784–1861 as well as Fear of a Black Republic: Haiti and the Birth of Black Internationalism. She also coedited the Encyclopedia of African American History and served as president of the Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora.

By This Professor

African American History: From the African Coast to the Civil War
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