LeVar Burton: Self - Host

Quotes 

• [last lines] 

  Self - Host : Slavery is painful to remember. But in one of the most difficult times in our nation's history, brave people, both black and white, risked their lives to end something because it was wrong. And from that terrible time came an important part of the legacy of African-American culture. Courageous heroes, inspiring songs, and unforgettable stories that all Americans can share. I'll see you next time.

• Self - Host : Songs like "Follow the Drinking Gourd" led the way north for many slaves. But music did more for African-Americans than lead us to freedom. It expressed joys and sorrows, lifted our spirits, and gave us hope.

• Self - Host : Being a slave meant that you had no freedom to live as you wanted. You were owned by another person and forced to do the hardest, dirtiest work.

• [inside an old African slave ship] 

  Self - Host : Being in this place, I can almost hear the voices of my kidnapped ancestors.

• Self - Host : Slavery ended over a hundred years ago, but people still sing songs and tell stories about being free. Here are three books that celebrate freedom.

• Self - Host : One of the worst things about slavery is that families were separated. Fathers, mothers, and children were often times sold to different people.

• Self - Host : In spite of the hardships, in slaved Africans built new families, new communities. Traditions were kept alive. Children learned the stories, games, and dances of their people. And always, there was the music. Music was the language of their greatest joys and deepest sorrows.