Racism: A History

Racism: A History is a three-part British documentary series originally broadcast on BBC Four in March 2007.

It was part of the season of programmes broadcast on the BBC marking the 200th anniversary of the Slave Trade Act 1807, a landmark piece of legislation which abolished the slave trade in the British Empire. The series explores the impact of racism on a global scale and chronicles the shifts in the perception of race and the history of racism in Europe, the Americas, Australia and Asia. The series was narrated by Sophie Okonedo.

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Created By

Status

Ended

Original Name

Racism: A History

First Air Date

March 21, 2007

Last Air Date

April 4, 2007

Seasons

Episodes

Language

English

Production Companies

Networks

BBC Four

S01E03

A Savage Legacy

The third and final episode examines the impact of racism in the 20th Century. By 1900, European colonial expansion had reached deep into the heart of Africa. Under the rule of King Leopold II, The Belgian Congo was turned into a vast rubber plantation. Men, women and children who failed to gather their latex quotas would have their limbs dismembered. The country became the scene of one of the century's greatest racial genocides, as an estimated 10 million Africans perished under colonial rule. Contains scenes which some viewers may find disturbing.

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