Africa's Great Civilizations

It's interesting to compare 'Africa's Great Civilizations' with the recent BBC documentary 'Civilisations'. Apart from the difference in spelling, and the exclusive focus on Africa in Henry Gates' series, the central noun is interpreted in different ways: the BBC programme focused almost entirely on art, while Gates views civilisation more broadly. The program is thus somewhat lower brow, but it is a tremendously informative overview of African history (and cultural acheivements), often overlooked in global histories. Its biggest weakness lies in Gates' keenness to make the point that it should not be so overlooked: in its repeated claims of African greatness, it violates the rule of "show not tell". The concluding elision of the 20th century, dealt with in two sentences of cliche, is also strange. Still, I learnt a great deal watching the series, which essentially justifies the point Gates tries so hard to make.

Christianity and Islam which due to early marital and child birth integration both grew out of the Canaanites as related in the Old Testament !

The so called Old Testament so called as it pre dated those later religions which in this well presented documentary , attempts to ignore and possibly even re write SOME of that ancient history for its own attempts to advance SOME questionable theories . Yes, Henry Louis Gates Jnr. Does make a reference to Jerusalem and the Old Testament ! The Ark of the Covenant and its relevance mentioned , does not explain as I say above , or as being descended from King David and referred to as mythical , in other words an unexplained unacceptable truth , is considered an insult to the ancient Jewish Canaanites , someone is attempting to re write numerous truths , for their own advancement ! ?

For a lot of years I have heard a little , in drips and draps, of the story of Africa. When I started to watch this series I thought " oh not again a white wash ".. Oh no this is a proper history , a lot I already new, but the way it was pulled together made so much sense, made the history clear and conciseness. Slavery : The true story Colonialism : what I did not know Ethiopia : God bless them for any person who likes truth ...watch this

Did the Berbers really have rifles in the eleventh as depicted in episode 3 showing them charging across the desert on horseback?

This was a well made documentary series. I deeply enjoyed how organized it was. I loved that it gave names, dates, countries in Africa for me to pause and then look up. I love how HLG narrated the project with equally passionate scientists, researchers, theologians from around the world. The entire project really is needed; especially as an American of African descent. We've unfortunately been so white washed that we sometimes forget that we come from something better than any other continent in the world... Africa. It's a must watch! I feel that it's best to watch this as young as you can; so afterwards you can do your own research. Knowing this information about Africa will literally make you unstoppable!!!