Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Before the popularity of AncestryDNA, journalist and cultural critic Henry Louis Gates, Jr. divulges the family trees of various celebrities, many times with stunning revelations.
Genre: Documentary, Biography, History
Cast:Henry Louis Gates Jr. , CeCe Moore , Mia Farrow , Anita Hill , Ty Burrell , Sterling K. Brown , Kehinde Wiley , Cory Booker , Tina Fey , Sally Field , Angela Bassett , Sting , Anderson Cooper , Tony Kushner , Nas , Aarón Sánchez , Derek Jeter , George Stephanopoulos
S1.E1 ∙ Harry Connick, Jr. and Branford Marsalis
Actor and musician Harry Connick, Jr. and legendary jazz musician Branford Marsalis share their love of jazz and New Orleans itself, but they both also have European immigrant ancestors who blazed unconventional trails in America.
S1.E2 ∙ Cory Booker and John Lewis
Two African-American politicians from different generations and opposite backgrounds, legendary civil rights leader John Lewis, and Democratic senator Cory Booker, learn about black and white slavery era ancestors they never knew about.
S1.E3 ∙ Barbara Walters and Geoffrey Canada
Prof. Gates unearths missing links in the family histories of legendary broadcast journalist Barbara Walters, and equally notable activist and educator Geoffrey Canada, as they try to learn the original last names of their fathers.
S1.E4 ∙ Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick
What do husband and wife Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick have in common? Other than being famous Hollywood actors in their own right, they both also come from old abolitionist families. But that's just the beginning.
S1.E5 ∙ Angela Buchdahl/Rick Warren/Yasir Qadhi
Family roots of Baptist evangelical Christian megachurch founder, pastor Rick Warren, Angela Buchdahl, the first Asian-American Rabbi, and American Muslim scholar Yasir Qadhi unearth a story about the spiritual foundations of America.
S1.E6 ∙ Robert Downey, Jr. and Maggie Gyllenhaal
Actors Robert Downey, Jr. and Maggie Gyllenhaal are textbook examples of Americans with a rich medley of European immigrant stories in their family trees.
S1.E7 ∙ Samuel L. Jackson, Condoleezza Rice and Ruth Simmons
Actor Samuel L. Jackson, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Brown University president Ruth Simmons were all once second-class citizens in the Jim Crow south. Where in Africa do they come from and who are their white ancestors?
S1.E8 ∙ Sanjay Gupta/Margaret Cho/Martha Stewart
Comedienne Margaret Cho, CNN's Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and TV personality Martha Stewart are all children of first or second-generation immigrants and share the peculiar burdens of that heritage.
S1.E9 ∙ John Legend/Wanda Sykes/Margarett Cooper
Musician John Legend and comedienne Wanda Sykes, as well as Professor Gates himself and his 98-year-old friend Margarett Cooper, discover the extraordinary stories of the free black ancestors they never knew about.
S1.E10 ∙ Michelle Rodriguez/Adrian Grenier/Linda Chavez
Actress Michelle Rodriguez, actor Adrian Grenier and Republican analyst Linda Chavez all share Spanish colonial roots, yet each views their own identity very differently.
S2.E1 ∙ In Search of Our Fathers: Stephen King, Gloria Reuben and Courtney B. Vance
Henry Louis Gates explores the paternal ancestry of famous horror novelist Stephen King, actress Gloria Reuben and actor Courtney B. Vance. Shocking discoveries are made.
S2.E2 ∙ Born Champions
The families of three of America's greatest athletes, former MLB star Derek Jeter, former world tennis champion Billie Jean King, and former WNBA star Rebecca Lobo, are explored by Henry Louis Gates.
S2.E3 ∙ Our American Storytellers
Three iconic American storytellers, journalist Anderson Cooper, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and playwright Anna Deavere Smith, learn about their southern ancestors' role in the Civil War, and in Burns' case, the Revolutionary War.
S2.E4 ∙ Roots of Freedom
Actor Ben Affleck, NAACP president Ben Jealous and actress Khandi Alexander discover that their families' long established principles to fight for freedom and civil rights were passed down through generations of ancestors.
S2.E5 ∙ The Melting Pot
Tom Colicchio of "Top Chef", Ming Tsai of "Simply Ming" and Aaron Sanchez of "Chopped", three celebrity chefs who cook the food of their ancestors, discover family members who have shaped their lives - and America's cuisine.
S2.E6 ∙ We Come from People
Actress Angela Bassett, President Obama's political advisor Valerie Jarrett and hip-hop artist Nas discover that there is no singular narrative or preconception about the people who suffered through the era of slavery in America.
S2.E7 ∙ Our People, Our Traditions
Playwright Tony Kushner, songwriter Carole King and lawyer Alan Dershowitz share not only a Jewish heritage but also a history of perseverance in the face of withering opposition, and as it turns out, so did their ancestors.
S2.E8 ∙ The British Are Coming
The ancestry of actress Sally Field, New Age guru Deepak Chopra and British rock star Sting reveals the extraordinary global influence of the British Empire during the 18th and early 19th century.
S2.E9 ∙ Ancient Roots
Henry Louis Gates Jr. explores the Greek ancestry of comedienne Tina Fey, comedian and radio host David Sedaris and journalist and TV host George Stephanopoulos.
S2.E10 ∙ Decoding Our Past Through DNA
Deval Patrick, the first African American Governor of Massachusetts, and actress Jessica Alba learn incredible new facts about their rich heritage. Dr. Gates and some of his previous guests also unlock the secrets of their own DNA.
S3.E1 ∙ The Stories We Tell
Dr. Gates explores the mysteries buried in the family stories of his guests, Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, actor and comedian Ty Burrell and artist Kara Walker, using both the records left behind and DNA.
S3.E2 ∙ The Irish Factor
Explore the shared Irish ancestry of journalist and anchor Soledad O'Brien, Fox News host Bill O'Reilly and comedian, political commentator and TV host Bill Maher, and how they have been deeply influenced by their Irish roots.
S3.E3 ∙ In Search of Freedom
How ancestors of comedienne Maya Rudolph, TV producer Shonda Rhimes and comedian Keenen Ivory Wayans struggled for freedom, and how each of these cultural trailblazers gain a new understanding of how they fit into this proud trajectory.
S3.E4 ∙ Tragedy + Time = Comedy
Three of America's funniest men, talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, TV producer Norman Lear and comedian Bill Hader, uncover a history of tragedies and triumphs in their families and learn how comedy truly has its place in all aspects of life.
S3.E5 ∙ Visionaries
Discover how the ancestors of business mogul Richard Branson and architects Maya Lin and Frank Gehry took audacious risks to create opportunities, and how their luck, ingenuity and chutzpah was passed on to these three visionaries.
S3.E6 ∙ War Stories
Senator John McCain and Oscar winning actresses Julianne Moore and Patricia Arquette sit down with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. to look at the military service in their families.
S3.E7 ∙ Family Reunions
Uncover family mysteries about two legends of hip hop, Sean Combs and LL Cool J, through the use of DNA technology that reveals information that shakes their very foundations.
S3.E8 ∙ The Pioneers
Discover how comedian Neil Patrick Harris, feminist icon Gloria Steinem and author Sandra Cisneros are connected to pioneers who broke new ground and paved the way for their modern day descendants to continue shaping our culture.
S3.E9 ∙ The Long Way Home
Discover how actress Julianna Marguiles, author Azar Nafisi and chef Lidia Bastianich are bound together by their ancestors' singular and deeply human desire to preserve their most cherished traditions.
S3.E10 ∙ Maps of the Stars
Actor Dustin Hoffman and actress Mia Farrow, who last shared the screen together in 1969, also share a history of tragic deaths in their families that played major roles in the shaping of their parents.
S4.E1 ∙ The Impression
Comedian Larry David and leftist U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, whom David famously impersonated on Saturday Night Live (1975), learn about the horrors their ancestors faced. They also discover that they have more in common than they thought.
S4.E2 ∙ Unfamiliar Kin
In an episode filled with incredible twists and turns, actor Christopher Walken, singer Carly Simon, and comedian Fred Armisen, each learn about a grandparent whose real identity and background had been a mystery to them.
S4.E3 ∙ Puritans and Pioneers
Actors Ted Danson, his wife Mary Steenburgen, and William H. Macy, are three mainstays of modern-day Hollywood, who discover that their family legacies predate the United States, itself.
S4.E4 ∙ The Vanguard
Three guests, journalist and author Ta-Nehisi Coates, film director Ava DuVernay and transgender activist Janet Mock, find their identities challenged. By placing their ancestors' lives in the context of history, they gain an appreciation for their family narratives and see how those narratives illustrate the diversity of the black experience.
S4.E5 ∙ Immigrant Nation
Three guests, actress Scarlett Johansson, comedian Paul Rudd and actor John Turturro, explore the tremendous challenges faced by their immigrant forebears.
S4.E6 ∙ Black Like Me
Three African-American guests, TV host Bryant Gumbel, producer Tonya Lewis-Lee and CNN journalist Suzanne Malveaux, delve deep into their family trees, discovering unexpected stories that challenge our assumptions about black history.
S4.E7 ∙ Children of the Revolution
Three guests, actress Lupita Nyong'o, NBA star Carmelo Anthony and Republican strategist Ana Navarro, explore how their family trees were shaped by political turmoil and violence, discovering sometimes unexpected ancestry along the way.
S4.E8 ∙ Relatives We Never Knew We Had
Actresses Téa Leoni and Gaby Hoffman, two guests whose lives have been shaped by family mysteries, are introduced to biological ancestors they never knew they had thanks to genetic detective work.
S4.E9 ∙ Southern Roots
Musician Questlove, TV personality Dr. Phil and journalist Charlayne Hunter-Gault, three guests of disparate backgrounds, dig into their Southern roots, where slavery and its aftermath shaped families both black and white.
S4.E10 ∙ Funny Business
Humorist Garrison Keillor (replaced by earlier Maya Rudolph story), comedienne Amy Schumer and comedian Aziz Ansari, who have found fame mining their family stories for comedy, learn about ancestors who overcame immense suffering.
S5.E1 ∙ Grandparents and Other Strangers
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and his team use both DNA testing and detective work to uncover the history of a grandparent line and try to find missing relatives for actor Andy Samberg and author George R. R. Martin.
S5.E2 ∙ Mystery Men
Actors Felicity Huffman and Michael K. Williams learn about the biological fathers they know little about.
S5.E3 ∙ Reporting on the Reporters
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and his team uncover the family stories of journalists Christiane Amanpour, Ann Curry and Lisa Ling.
S5.E4 ∙ Dreaming of a New Land
Actress Marisa Tomei, business woman Sheryl Sandberg and actor Kal Penn learn about the challenge faced by their ancestors who immigrated from Italy, Russia and India to America.
S5.E5 ∙ Freedom Tales
TV host Michael Strahan and actress S. Epatha Merkerson learn about the unusual circumstances surrounding their ancestors' success and suffering.
S5.E6 ∙ Roots in Politics
Republican politicians Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio and Democratic politician Tulsi Gabbard learn surprising facts about their ancestors including how their own choice of career may have been unwittingly inspired by them.
S5.E7 ∙ No Laughing Matter
Stand up comedians and TV stars Seth Meyers, Tig Notaro and Sarah Silverman learn about their ancestors' hardships, flaws, successes, reinventions, and how all this indirectly affected them as well.
S5.E8 ∙ Hard Times
Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore and actresses Laura Linney and Chloë Sevigny learn the tragic truth about their ancestors' hardships including imprisonment, generational family trauma and child marriage.
S5.E9 ∙ The Eye of the Beholder
Celebrated filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu learns how his ancestors fought for the rule of law in Mexico, world famous performance artist Marina Abramovic learns how wars and conservative Balkan upbringing scarred both her and her troubled parents for life, and renowned African American painter, Kehinde Wiley, learns about his heroic ancestors who fought for freedom only to face racism and injustice at home later on.
S5.E10 ∙ All in the Family
Comedian and Modern Family (2009) star Ty Burrell, and notable radio talk-show host and civil rights activist Joe Madison learn about their roots, which leads to many unexpected twists, shocking turns, and surprising similarities.
S6.E1 ∙ Hollywood Royalty
Three actresses who come from Hollywood royalty, Anjelica Huston, Mia Farrow (whose segment is taken from Maps of the Stars (2016)) and Isabella Rossellini, learn their family histories.
S6.E2 ∙ Off the Farm
Melissa McCarthy and Eric Stonestreet, two comics who moved away from their homey family farms to pursue a career in fashion and clownship only to find unexpected success in Hollywood, learn what they have in common with their ancestors.
S6.E3 ∙ Homecomings
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps actor Sterling K. Brown, comedian Sasheer Zamata and musician Jon Batiste discover the unexpected places their ancestors once called home, providing new insight into the people and places that made them who they are today.
S6.E4 ∙ This Land Is My Land
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. reveals to his two guests, musician Queen Latifah and actor Jeffrey Wright, how their ancestors' uncommonly well documented experience in America reflects on their success.
S6.E5 ∙ Beyond the Pale
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the Jewish heritages of actor Jeff Goldblum, radio host Terry Gross, and comedian Marc Maron, previously unknown stories that show each share much more with their ancestors than a religious tradition.
S6.E6 ∙ Secrets & Lies
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps actors Sigourney Weaver, Justina Machado, and Amy Ryan unearth surprising revelations about their family histories, forever altering how they see themselves.
S6.E7 ∙ Science Pioneers
Three esteemed science pioneers are featured: Francis Collins, Shirley Ann Jackson and Harold E. Varmus.
S6.E8 ∙ Slave Trade
Clip show episode compiling three previous stories about people whose families' lives were forever changed in shocking and surprising ways by the slave trade: Ava DuVernay, S. Epatha Merkerson and Questlove.
S6.E9 ∙ Italian Roots
Clip show episode compiling three previous stories about famous people with Italian roots whose families were forced to flee Europe due to poverty, disaster and intolerance: Jimmy Kimmel, Marisa Tomei and John Turturro.
S6.E10 ∙ Criminal Kind
The family histories of Laura Linney, Lisa Ling and Soledad O'Brien reveal tricksters, scoundrels and criminals.
S6.E11 ∙ Fashion's Roots
Designers Diane van Fürstenberg and Narciso Rodriguez and actor RuPaul Charles learn about their ancestors.
S6.E12 ∙ DNA Mysteries
DNA detective work is used to solve mysteries in the family trees of Ann Curry, actress Téa Leoni and radio host Joe Madison.
S6.E13 ∙ War Stories
Kehinde Wiley, Julianne Moore and Bill Hader research their family's military service.
S6.E14 ∙ Flight
The families of Lupita Nyong'o, Lidia Bastianich and Scarlett Johansson crisscross the globe to escape oppression and find opportunity.
S6.E15 ∙ Breaking Silences
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the family secrets of journalist Gayle King, film director Jordan Peele, and comedian Issa Rae, introducing them to ancestors who raise profound questions about the shape and meaning of their family trees.
S6.E16 ∙ Coming to America
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps Nancy Pelosi, Norah O'Donnell and Zac Posen explore their immigrant roots, retracing the journeys of their ancestors who arrived in the United States with little more than a dream.
S7.E1 ∙ From the Manor Born
Actress Glenn Close and film director John Waters learn about their brave ancestors who fought to live their lives the way they saw fit for better or worse, but also those who vehemently fought against the notions of freedom and equality.
S7.E2 ∙ Against All Odds
Talk show host and TV producer Andy Cohen and journalist Nina Totenberg learn about their Jewish ancestors who fought to survive and prosper against all odds.
S7.E3 ∙ No Irish Need Apply
Actress Jane Lynch and comedian Jim Gaffigan learn about their strong-willed Irish ancestors, the extreme poverty that made them leave Ireland, and the horrific prejudice, persecution and exploitation they faced in 19th century America.
S7.E4 ∙ The shirts off their backs
Actors Christopher Meloni and Tony Shalhoub learn about their ancestors who triumphed in America despite the horrific traumas they suffered in their youth in Italy, French Canada and the Otoman Empire.
S7.E5 ∙ Write My Name in the Book of Life
Award-winning music star Pharrell Williams and Hollywood film director and actress Kasi Lemmons learn about their ancestors who suffered during slavery as well as those who had to live with its consequences after it was finally abolished.
S7.E6 ∙ Country Roots
Country stars Clint Black and Johnny Cash's daughter Rosanne Cash learn about their Italian roots as well as their ancestors' surprising experiences during the slavery era.
S7.E7 ∙ The New World
The ancestors of actor John Lithgow and journalist María Hinojosa thrive in North America long before the birth of the U.S.
S7.E8 ∙ Laughing on the Inside
Comedians Lewis Black and Roy Wood Jr. learn about their ancestors' struggle to survive the racism, violence and injustice of 19th century Europe and America. The Blacks survived the pogroms in Europe, and The Woods slavery in America.
S7.E9 ∙ On Broadway
Broadway superstar Audra McDonald learns about her proud ancestors who excelled at their line of work despite racism. The star of film, television and Broadway Mandy Patinkin learns about his Jewish ancestors who perished in Europe.
S7.E10 ∙ Anchored to the Past
CNN journalist Don Lemon learns about his ancestors' role in the civil rights movement and the mark the slavery era left on them. Former Fox News journalist Gretchen Carlson learns about her go-getting Swedish ancestors.
S8.E1 ∙ Hidden in the Genes
Henry Louis Gates Jr. helps Rebecca Hall and Lee Daniels solve family mysteries through DNA detective work, illuminating both history and their own identities.
S8.E2 ∙ Children of Exile
Henry Louis Gates Jr. retraces the ancestral journeys of David Chang and Raúl Esparza, whose families fled their homelands, leading them to find lost parts of themselves along the way.
S8.E3 ∙ Activist Roots
Henry Louis Gates Jr. welcomes Brittany Packnett Cunningham Cunningham and Anita Hill, two guests who made profound sacrifices for social justice, and helps them discover the ancestors who made sacrifices for them.
S8.E4 ∙ Things We Don't Discuss
Henry Louis Gates Jr. works with Pamela Adlon and Kathryn Hahn, two guests whose family trees were obscured by scandals, to discover the truth about their ancestors.
S8.E5 ∙ Mexican Roots
Comedians Mario Lopez and Melissa Villaseñor learn about their Mexican heritage.
S8.E6 ∙ Fighters
Comedian Tony Danza learns about his Sicilian ancestors while comedian Terry Crews learns about his father's complicated heritage.
S8.E7 ∙ Incredible Journeys
Comedian John Leguizamo learns the incredible truth about his South American ancestors while filmmaker Lena Waithe learns about her complex heritage.
S8.E8 ∙ Songs of the Past
Comedian Nathan Lane learns about his impoverished Irish ancestors while actor Leslie Odom Jr. learns the fascinating truth about his ancestors.
S8.E9 ∙ Watchmen
Regina King and Damon Lindelof discover that they have more in common than meets the eye.
S8.E10 ∙ Where Did We Come From?
News anchor Erin Burnett, fashion journalist André Leon Talley and actress Amy Carlson trace their ancestral roots.
S9.E1 ∙ Hidden Kin
Julia Roberts and Edward Norton trace their families back deep into American history and beyond. And they each have an additional surprise in store.
S9.E2 ∙ Salem's Lot
Henry Lewis Gates Jr. takes Claire Danes and Jeff Daniels on a journey into their roots.
S9.E3 ∙ Secret Lives
Carol Burnett and Niecy Nash uncover some family secrets about the untold lives of their grandparents. One revelation so shocking that the guest learned it during filming to prepare her family for the result.
S9.E4 ∙ Far From Home
Cyndi Lauper, Jamie Chung and Danny Trejo uncover the stories of their immigrant ancestors.
S9.E5 ∙ Rising from the Ashes
Viola Davis and Brian Cox learn about relatives they never knew about whose fights against the odds inspire their descendants. Also, both learn of long-lost relatives who have been on the show.
S9.E6 ∙ Family: Lost and Found
Joe Manganiello and Tony Gonzalez discover close relatives whose names they've never heard and whose stories they could not have imagined.
S9.E7 ∙ Chosen
Host Henry Louis Gates traces the ancestral roots of actors David Duchovny and Richard Kind to Jewish communities from parts of Europe.
S9.E8 ∙ And Still I Rise
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. reveals the unexpected family trees of activist Angela Y. Davis and statesman Jeh Johnson, using DNA and long-lost records to redefine notions of the black experience-and challenge preconceptions of America's past.
S9.E9 ∙ Anchormen
Henry L. Gates, Jr. introduces trail-blazing journalists Jim Acosta and Van Jones to the ancestors who blazed a trail for them, meeting runaway slaves and immigrant settlers who took enormous chances so that their descendants might thrive.
S9.E10 ∙ Out of the Past
Henry Lewis Gates uncovers the lost roots of actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry-Housley.
