Before there were states, there were nations. Before modern boundaries divided the land, communities lived in organized towns, maintained traditions, and preserved histories passed from one generation to the next.

Storytime with Southern Roots takes viewers on a documentary journey through the history of the American South, exploring the land, its early peoples, their societies, and the events that transformed their world.

Drawing from the historical research presented in Before We Were Black, the series brings together early written accounts, historical maps, and documentary storytelling to examine the names, identities, and experiences of the people who inhabited the Southeast.

Each episode builds upon the last, inviting viewers to follow the historical record and discover the stories behind the South we know today.