The series begins at a turning point in American history – the Selma marches and Watts riots that marked a new phase in the black struggle.

A look at the divergent paths for African Americans and outbursts of white backlash that emerged in the 1970s and early 1980s.

In the 1980s and 1990s, just as African Americans were becoming more visible than ever, profound fissures within the country and black America are revealed.

Bringing the story to the present day, Professor Gates celebrates how far African Americans have come toward equality and raises hard questions about the obstacles that remain.