Henry Louis Gates, Jr. hosts Making Black America: Through the Grapevine, a four-part series on PBS. The series “chronicles the vast social networks and organizations created by and for Black people–beyond the reach of the ‘White gaze,’” according to PBS.
It premieres October 4. Gates sits with scholars, politicians, cultural leaders and friends to “discuss this world behind the color line and what it looks like today.”
Stacey L. Holman and Shayla Harris direct.
The series details the establishment of the Prince Hall Masons in 1775 through the formation of all-Black towns and business districts, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, leisure destinations and the social media phenomenon of Black Twitter.
Making Black America: Through The Grapevine is a production of McGee Media, Inkwell Media and WETA Washington. Gates, Jr. is the writer, host and executive producer. Dyllan McGee is executive producer. John F. Wilson is executive producer in charge for WETA and Bill Gardner is exec in charge for PBS. Stacey L. Holman is series producer and director and Shayla Harris is producer/director.
Gates, Jr. is a Harvard professor and director of Harvard’s Hutchins Center for African & African American Research. He hosts Finding Your Roots on PBS. ■
