Who Are The Main Characters In 'Black AF History'?

I just finished 'Black AF History' and the main cast is fire. At the center is Michael Harriot—he’s not just the narrator but this charismatic guide who blends humor with brutal truths. The show’s genius is how it frames historical figures as modern-day legends. Harriet Tubman? She’s reimagined as a rogue spy with a kill count that’d make John Wick sweat. Frederick Douglass drops bars like a battle rapper, dismantling racist arguments with pure logic. Even lesser-known heroes like Bass Reeves get spotlight—think a Wild West sheriff who outdrew outlaws while being a former slave. Each character’s portrayed with such visceral energy that history feels alive, not like some dusty textbook lecture.

Diving into 'Black AF History' feels like watching history rebooted as a blockbuster series. The standout is definitely Michael Harriot, who serves as both host and cultural commentator, delivering lines with the precision of a standup special mixed with a TED Talk. His segments on systemic racism hit like a gut punch, but he balances it with moments that make you cheer—like when he compares Reconstruction to a failed software update that white supremacists kept crashing.

The historical figures are cast as archetypes we recognize today. MLK isn’t just a peaceful protester; he’s the ultimate strategist, playing 4D chess against FBI surveillance. Angela Davis gets the action hero treatment, her afro practically a crown of defiance. What’s brilliant is how the show gives screen time to figures like Ida B. Wells, portrayed as an investigative journalist who weaponized truth against lynch mobs. Even the ‘villains’—like Andrew Jackson—are framed as toxic CEOs of colonialism, making their defeats satisfying.

The show’s secret sauce is its anachronisms. Seeing Crispus Attucks as the first ‘trending topic’ of the American Revolution or Nat Turner’s rebellion as a viral mutiny against oppression makes these stories feel urgent. It’s not just education—it’s a reclamation of narratives, with Harriot as the hype man for centuries of resistance.

If you’re tired of history being whitewashed, 'Black AF History' is the antidote. Michael Harriot’s hosting is like your coolest professor crossed with a meme lord—he breaks down complex events with meme references and hip-hop analogies. The characters aren’t just names; they’re full personalities. Take the portrayal of W.E.B. Du Bois: he’s not some distant scholar but a data-driven activist, dropping infographics on racism like a 19th-century influencer.

What grips me is how the show humanizes icons. Fannie Lou Hamer isn’t reduced to a voting rights slogan—she’s the woman who sang spirituals to drown out jailers’ taunts. Malcolm X gets recast as the ultimate self-help guru, preaching black empowerment with the intensity of a viral podcast. Even the ensemble ‘side characters’ shine, like the Harlem Hellfighters, shown as WWI soldiers who brought jazz to the trenches while facing segregation.

The show’s tone shifts effortlessly between satire and solemnity. One minute you’re laughing at Harriot comparing colonialism to a pyramid scheme, the next you’re gutted by animations of enslaved families being torn apart. It makes history feel less like facts to memorize and more like a story you’re desperate to continue.