This course explores the early history of African Americans, from the transatlantic slave trade through the conclusion of Reconstruction. Structured both chronologically and thematically, the class will cover the forced migration of the Middle Passage and the social, political, and cultural forces that shaped African American life and identity. Topics include the establishment of plantation slavery in the Americas; the impact of the American Revolution; slavery’s entrenchment in the antebellum South; the rise of Black abolitionist movements; and the fight for freedom and equality during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Additionally, the course highlights some of the achievements and enduring contributions of African Americans to American society.