Customer Reviews

Slavery and the Making of America

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have watched and re-watched this series on PBS, and with each episode I always go away having learned something. The researchers and writers were thorough, the re-enactments are well-played*, and the tempo of each segment is appropriate. Morgan Freeman is the perfect choice for a narrator (even better than Whoopie Goldberg in Unchained Memories); he speaks like a wise, maturing uncle versed in the intricacies of a long, unpleasant family history.

My favorite segments are those on David Walker's call to resistance; a certain Miss Freeman, who successfully sued for her freedom; and Col. Tye's band of 18th century guerilla warriors.

*Such re-enactments, when accurately presented, are essential to helping viewers understand the realities of the era, as there are so few photographs and no moving pictures in existence from this lengthy period in American history. (As the narrator says, "America was a slave-holding society longer than it has been a 'free' society.")

The information provided in the cds was thorough, diverse, and accurate. It gives the viewer the impression that the series was produced with the care that only serious lovers of pure history can provide. I also appreciated that the historians featured on the various cds were not solely of African American lineage. There were well-rounded views and opinions expressed.

I watched this over and over so that I could justify using it as a teaching tool to college and HS students. I grew tired of presentations on slavery ignoring or missing America's economic gain. Therefore, I was most impressed by this PBS series mentioning it. Yes, its inconvenient to say that the Industrial Revolution would not have happened without the free labor of slaves. (oh, yes, some African/Blacks did get 40 acres and a mule but, it was taken away by a former confederate soldier who later became a government official...). Henry Ford, J.P. Morgan, or even Bill Gates, hang on the coattails of the "planters" who made big money directly from African slave labor. The "planters" created the first IMAGES of superiority because they had more money, more control/power over many, and a "position." Believe me, slavery was building America's economic FUTURE not just imposing a sense of superiority. In a morbid sort of way slavery worked out pretty good for the American economy we live in today! Trust me when I say this, it means something to have an image of finacial power, even if you are poor, its the indelible IMAGE of having money, position, and power, that is most effective. A professor told me once that America is "ahistorical" I like that word. America concedes that slavery existed at one time and is over(whew!)but, the idea that some have benefitted financially, directly and indirectly from American slavery, might be an inconvenient truth. See "Centrix Financial...apologizes...slavery..." Something like that.

When you pay the high price for a PBS production, you are helping PBS to pay for their cause. You are not being ripped off. This is a worthy reason why the cost is higher per minute of programming than other productions. The reviewer below apparently does not take this into account. Today DVD's cost $1 each or less in cost for the actual manufacturing of the disc. When a DVD is made and sold, the retail price pays for many things such as actors, production, and profit. If you look into how PBS spends their money, you will clearly note, it is not a profit making venture. This is an excellent series, worthy of the price. Yes, you can get a good deal here, lower than the retail price, from a Marketplace seller... or get yourself an even better deal (at a higher price) direct from the PBS web site, by supporting their cause... and the many more public productions to come. PBS... Possible Through Support From Viewers LIKE YOU.

As an African-American I am interested in movies about Black history, Black culture, and life during slavery and historical black events.
As a result I purchased about a dozen DVDs on various subject matter which I am just now getting around to viewing.
This DVD gave me more insight into the slavery aspect during the period before we became a nation.
Each DVD was approx. 55 minutes long I would have liked to have had more because of the price, never less this is fine addition to my collection and I recommend it to others for its educational value.

I have kept my eyes on this for a entire year. I noticed one thing, I wasnt willing to pay 80.00 for this it was going to be used several times with adults to share with children, so I thought I would wait. Sometime in August it was down to $54.00 right here on amazon and at that time I was just about to get it. Now that it's martin luther king day and going to be black history month, the price will be HIGHER until about april and then your see a dramatic change.Keep your eyes open, people will onyl tell you what they want you to know. PBS has been asking for money for past 20 years that I can remember. One or two things should have happended. Either they got richer or they got poorer. Which one do you think happened?
This is a excellent tool to teach children and adults, please note that the high price has nothing to do with PBS, it's the system designed to make you think otherwise.

Please wait until this product goes down, cause it will.

When i watched this program on PBS, I knew I would get it immediately. I am a tutor to young men in the Washington DC area and I saw in this program, a way to emphasize economics and the importance of finance in this country.

Unfortunately, the video costs $80.00!!!!!!!!!! This has four discs with only 60 minutes of programming on each one. That's a total of 240 minutes! No special features or bonus material at all! So you pay $80 for only the series.

Now to give you something to compare this to, I also purchased "Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson." This program cost less than $20.00 and was on two discs; each having 110 minutes of material. This series also had several special features and bonuses.

If you look at it from a per minute basis, you have:

Slavery and the making of America: $.33 per minute of material
(no bonus material)
Unforgivable Blackness: $.09 per minute of material
(bonus material)

So ask yourself why Slavery and the Making of America is so expensive? I bought it anyway because it's important for my mentees to see this, but if you don't NEED it, I would not suggest buying this DVD until the price comes down. Just record it next time it comes on.