The Book of Negroes

Season

2015

7.8

TV-MA

Kidnapped in Africa and subsequently enslaved in South Carolina, Aminata must navigate a revolution in New York, isolation in Nova Scotia, and the treacherous jungles of Sierra Leone to secure her freedom in the 18th century.

Episode List

S1 • E1

Episode #1.1

A young girl is taken from her home in Africa and forced on a treacherous journey to America.

S1 • E2

Episode #1.2

Aminata, now grown beautiful, healthy, and literate, is the flower of Robinson Appleby's Indigo plantation. After several seasons of deflecting Appleby's advances, Aminata marries Chekura and has his child; infuriated, Appleby, sells her and her child to separate owners. Her new owners, Jewish Indigo Trader Solomon Lindo and his wife Rosa, are more trusting: they treat her as a servant rather than a slave. But after Rosa's death and the revelation that Solomon brokered the sale of her child, Aminata's trust is broken. Desperate for a distraction to ease his grief, Lindo sets sail to New York with Aminata, who plots her escape to freedom.

S1 • E3

Episode #1.3

Aminata travels to New York with his Jewish owner and takes the opportunity to run during the confusion of the American Revolution. She gains respect in her community as a midwife and literacy teachings. She and her husband are reunited, only for him to enlist to fight. Sam (Cuba Gooding Jr.) helps her search for him and they find him wounded.

S1 • E4

Episode #1.4

The Book of Negroes is born. Animata documents all Negroes' passages to freedom from New York to Nova Scotia. She enlists many with no judgment. When her time comes to leave, she is re-enslaved as a claim from Appleby, her original owner. This is disputed and won. She is declared a free woman and sails to reunite with her husband.

S1 • E5

Episode #1.5

Racial tensions run high with Aminata's employer, adding fuel to the fire. Animata has found her husband alive once more, and they make a pact never to part again.