The Book Of Negroes & Black Sails Set To Premiere On BET (129) And History (186) On DStv

This August, DStv is boosting its historical drama slate this with the premiere of two critically-acclaimed mini-series; Black Sails and  The Book of Negroes on History (channel 186) and BET (channel 129) respectively.

Directed by Clement Virgo, and starring Oscar winners Cuba Gooding Jr. and Louis Gosset Jr., The Book of Negroes is a powerful re-telling of Lawrence Hill’s 2007 award-winning novel of the same name.  The six-part mini-series centers around the life of 19th century slave, Aminata Diallo (Aunjanue Ellis), who bravely navigates the perils of the slave trade in an attempt to secure her freedom. The series premiers on Monday 17 Aug 2015 at 6:10pm GMT

Eleven year old Aminata is abducted from her village in West Africa, placed in shackles and sent across the ocean to be sold into slavery on a South Carolina plantation. She falls in love and marries a fellow West African slave named Chekura but when their baby is brutally abducted and sold by a jealous slave master, Aminata becomes determined to return to her homeland.

The onset of the Revolutionary War helps Aminata flee her new owner in New York. Using her ability to read and write, Aminata successfully petitions British abolitionists, who organize passage to Africa for 1,200 former slaves – a final voyage that will reunite her with her homeland and allow her to voice her life story.

A prequel to the classic Robert Louis Stevenson novel "Treasure Island," "Black Sails" is am 8 part pirate adventure series that centers on the tales of Captain Flint, who has a reputation throughout the West Indies as being the most brilliant, most feared of all the Golden Age pirates. Watch the premiere on Tuesday 18 Aug 2015 at 7:20pm GMT

It's 1715, and as Flint fights for the survival of New Providence Island -- a debauched paradise teeming with pirates, prostitutes, thieves and fortune seekers -- in the wake of threats from British and Spanish forces, he aligns himself with Eleanor Guthrie, daughter of the local kingpin, to hunt the ultimate prize and ensure his people's survival.

But standing in the way are rival captains, Eleanor's intrusive father, and perhaps the bigger obstacle of all: John Silver, a young, fast-talking, authority-flouting sailor recently added to Flint's crew

Join the conversation on social media using the hashtags #BookofNegroes,  #BlackSails

For more information log on to www.dstv.com