The inauguration of Barack Obama as president of the United States of America in 2009 marked a crucial turning point in African American history. It was the culmination of a chain of events that started nearly four hundred years ago when the evil of slavery cast its shadow on America.

Tracing the history of black Americans, A Chain of Events documents how God gave them the freedom and will to rise from the ashes of slavery to become true Americans. Author Ruthie Green examines the harrowing life of slaves in early America, their emancipation by Abraham Lincoln, and their long struggle through the years for recognition as citizens of the United States.

Green also discusses some of the African American community's most prominent and influential early members, including W. E. B. Du Bois, George Washington Carver, and Marcus Garvey Jr. She profiles leading African American entertainers and delves into the tumultuous years of the civil rights movement and the impact of Martin Luther King Jr. In addition, she talks about such important African Americans as Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Jesse Owens, the Tuskegee Airmen, Ethel Waters, and many more.

A Chain of Events offers an eye-opening glimpse into the remarkable history of African Americans.