The origins of man and early human societies; cultural and scientific achievements on the African continent.

Henry Louis Gates Jr travels shines a light on the powerful, cosmopolitan cities that dotted Africa at the time when Europe was in its Middle Ages. From 1000 to 1600, commerce, wealth and prosperity expanded across Africa.

Examining the changes that took place in Africa between the 15th and 18th centuries, including the seismic transformation as West African kingdoms encountered European mariners travelling farther and farther south along Africa's Atlantic coast.

Henry Louis Gates Jr reviews the 19th century, when a fierce competition for resources and trade stimulated ingenuity but also enticed European powers, triggering the scramble for Africa and inciting conflicts.