Today's episode of the Black History Unveiled podcast is about one of pre-colonial Africa's most famous regents. A woman who, for several decades, resisted Portugal's attempt to conquer her country. A woman whose actions throughout history have been both demonized and glorified. 

Today's episode is about Njinga – the mother of Angola – and the woman who, in the 17th century, was prepared to do everything to avoid losing her country.

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In today's episode of the Black History Unveiled podcast, I interview Rwandan-French author Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse about her book "All Your Children, Scattered". It is a novel about the aftereffects of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, told through three generations. 

Beata's latest book, "The Convoy", is about her own experiences of the genocide. She was only a teenager when it happened, and the book tells the story of how she escaped the killings and how she, as an adult, tries to piece together the accounts of other survivors. 

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The last main episode of Black History Unveiled explored the rise and fall of the Kingdom of Kongo—a powerful Central African state that met a devastating blow at the hands of the Portuguese in 1665. In the aftermath, Kongo not only lost its king but also saw much of its nobility captured, enslaved, and forcibly taken across the Atlantic.

Most of them vanished into the brutal anonymity of the transatlantic slave trade, their names erased from history. But not all. Some survived the passage of time. One such figure is Ganga Zumba.

Leading a daring escape, he and other fugitives from slavery carved out a stronghold deep in the jungles of Brazil.

This is the story of how enslaved Africans fought back, built their own nation, and came close to toppling the Portuguese colonial power.

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The conversation around Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance is in full swing. Every detail is being dissected, from his set list and relentless jabs at Drake to his vision for the future of hip-hop. Fans and critics alike are also trying to unpack the layers of symbolism woven into his set. 

One phrase, in particular, has sparked a wave of questions: "40 acres and a mule." What's its history, and why does it still resonate today? I break it down in today's episode.

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Today's episode of the Black History Unveiled Podcast marks the third and final part of the Haitian Revolution series. In the previous episode, we witnessed the outbreak of the revolt and the successful expulsion of the invading British and Spanish forces by the enslaved people of Saint-Domingue. 

However, instead of peace, the so-called "War of the Knives" ensued, with leaders of the newly liberated population vying for control of the colony. After two years of conflict, the former slave Toussaint Louverture emerged as the victor. But what had he really won? Officially, Saint-Domingue still remained under French sovereignty.

Our story picks up when the French are gearing up to assert their authority. Louverture and the rest of the freed slaves are faced with an overpowering enemy and impossible odds, with the violence in Saint-Domingue reaching apocalyptic levels. The episode also provides keys to understanding why Haiti is in such a vulnerable position today.

You can find Black History Unveiled wherever you get your podcasts. 

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This is the second episode of our three-part series about the Haitian revolution: one of history's biggest upsets, a classic David and Goliath moment. 

In the first episode – which I recommend you listen to if you haven't already – we covered the creation of the French Caribbean colony of Saint-Domingue, which, from the late 17th century onwards, was the primary source of all coffee and sugar consumed in Europe. To make this possible, imported Africans were subjected to a particularly hideous form of slavery.

As this episode begins—late summer 1791—the slaves—the island's majority population—are preparing to give their lives for a chance at freedom.

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