Henry Louis Gates Jr. recalls the 19th-century scramble by European powers for Africa's riches and the defiant stand of Ethiopia.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. researches the impact of the Atlantic trading world, which fueled the rise of new kingdoms and the transatlantic slave trade.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. investigates Africa's most significant ancient cities, including Kilwa, Great Zimbabwe, and Benin City, and Europe's interest in them.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. looks at the complex trade networks and advanced educational institutions that transformed early north and west Africa into the continent's wealthiest kingdoms and learning centers.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. examines the rise and impact of Christianity and Islam in Africa, including examining African religious figures.

Henry Louis Gates Jr. travels to Kenya and Egypt while learning about the origins of man and the formation of early human societies. He describes the creation of cultural and scientific achievements in Africa.