The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross is a six-part documentary series written and presented by prominent Harvard University professor, Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

And his new six-part documentary series, The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross, debuts tonight (Oct. 22, 8 PM ET) on PBS.

So says Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who examines both its success and shame in "The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross," his new PBS documentary series that traces 500 years of black history.