© 2026 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Access to this video is a benefit to members

Empires of Gold | Hour Three

Season 1 Episode 3 | 52m 31s

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. uncovers the complex trade networks and advanced educational institutions that transformed early north and west Africa from deserted lands into the continent’s wealthiest kingdoms and learning epicentres.

Aired: 02/27/17
Major corporate support for Africa's Great Civilizations is provided by Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson, and Ancestry. Major funding is also provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the Gilder Foundation, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS.
Extras
Get ready for the all-new season, coming January 17, 2027 at 9/8c.
The cast play a game of "What's in the vet bag?" with sentimental props from the series.
Celebrate the legacy of Gene Wilder, the actor behind Willy Wonka and Young Frankenstein.
Explore the site of the Battle of Camden and its importance to the American Revolution.
Formerly enslaved Americans formed Britain's Colonial Marines unit and marched on Washington, D.C.
A metal detector survey reveals long-lost soldiers at Camden Battlefield.
A musket ball reveals the deadly reality of Revolutionary War combat.
DNA may help identify a soldier killed at the Battle of Camden.
Tangier Island's lawns are turning into marshes. Can oyster reefs help?
The search for a sunken fort uncovers a powerful freedom story.
Latest Episodes
Explore the dynamism of 19th century Africa and the "scramble” for its riches.
Explores the impact of the Atlantic world and the transatlantic slave trade.
Explores the great African cities and their wealth and industry.
Uncover the origins of man and early human society in Africa with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. charts the rise and impact of Christianity and Islam across Africa.