For Love of Liberty: The Story of America’s Black Patriots

For Love of Liberty: The Story of America’s Black Patriots was a four-hour PBS miniseries introduced by Colin Powell, hosted on-camera by Halle Berry and narrated by Avery Brooks. The film used letters, diaries, speeches, journalistic accounts, historical text and military records to document and acknowledge the sacrifices and accomplishments of African-American service men and women since the earliest days of the republic. The story spanned the Revolution to today and examined why, despite enormous injustice, these heroic men and women fought so valiantly for freedoms they themselves did not enjoy. The project's goal was to raise public consciousness and shed light on an extraordinary and relatively unexplored aspect of our nation's history. The central theme of the initiative, the price of liberty, is relevant to all Americans.

Realizing the educational significance of the film, the U. S. Army created an edited 25-minute version of the film and corresponding high school and college facilitator guides. The materials, structured to fit a classroom timeframe, are versatile and can complement studies in American history, civics, social studies and ROTC programs.

The links below will take you to relevant resources.