Finding Your Roots

Culture Series / 7 Seasons

For more than a decade, renowned Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has helped to expand America’s sense of itself, stimulating a national conversation about identity with humor, wisdom, and compassion. Professor Gates has explored the ancestry of dozens of influential people from diverse backgrounds, taking millions of viewers deep into the past to reveal the connections that bind us all.

52m 10s / TV-PG

The Train Accident in Michael Imperioli's Family History

4m 2s / TV-14

Michael's maternal grandfather, Alberto Luzzi, was born in New York City in June, 1914. Alberto had a difficult childhood due to the early passing of his father, Michael's great grandfather, who died in an accident cleaning trains for the transit system. Michael's great grandfather grew up in Calabria, Italy, before moving to America after getting married.

La Famiglia Preview

30s / TV-PG

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the family trees of talk show host Joy Behar and actor Michael Imperioli—two Americans whose roots stretch back to small towns in Calabria, Italy. Joy and Michael’s families lived in these towns for centuries, but their stories were lost on the journey to America. Gates reveals the challenges that their ancestors faced—and overcame—on both sides of the Atlantic.

Amanda Seyfried Discovers Ancestor Was an Army Musician

4m 13s / TV-PG

Amanda's third great grandfather, Peter Friesell, was living in Pennsylvania with his wife Lydia and their daughter in 1860. He voluntarily enlisted in the Civil War to fight for the Union to end slavery. He ultimately served as a musician, playing the fife. He risked his life and survived.

Larger Than Life Preview

30s

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. introduces actors Lea Salonga and Amanda Seyfried to ancestors who are every bit as dramatic as the characters they’ve played on stage and screen. Moving from a naval base in the Philippines to a small town bakery in Pennsylvania to steamships on the Atlantic Ocean, Lea and Amanda hear stories of relatives who survived wars, murders, and heart-wrenching ordeals.

Season 11: Inside Look

30s

Renowned scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. returns for a new season of FINDING YOUR ROOTS. Using genealogical detective work and cutting-edge DNA analysis, Gates guides twenty compelling guests deep into their family trees, revealing surprising stories that transcend borders, illuminating an American root system fortified by its diversity.

Season 11: Extended Trailer

3m 13s

Renowned scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. returns for a new season of FINDING YOUR ROOTS. Using genealogical detective work and cutting-edge DNA analysis, Gates guides twenty compelling guests deep into their family trees, revealing surprising stories that transcend borders, illuminating an American root system fortified by its diversity.

Megan Robertson and the Mystery of Green's Real Father

6m 27s

Join Megan Robertson, a curious descendant from the small town of Ashton, Idaho, as she delves into a longstanding family mystery - is Solomon Moxley truly the biological father of her great-grandfather, Green Church? Megan's investigation is fueled by the enduring stories and myths that have percolated through her family for generations.

Terrie Morrow's Quest to Unveil Her Great-Grandfather's Origins

5m 8s

Join Terrie Morrow, a devoted school bus driver from Birmingham, Alabama, as she embarks on an emotional odyssey to resolve a longstanding family puzzle that has intrigued her for decades. Her journey focuses on her cherished great-grandfather, affectionately referred to as Papa, whose early life is shrouded in obscurity. Left by his mother, Lenora, at the tender age of five with the Tagger family

Unraveling the Willis Family Mystery

6m 8s

Join Joyce Willis as she embarks on a riveting exploration into her family history, aiming to resolve a deeply rooted enigma: Was the man known as her grandmother Beatrice Willis's father truly related by blood? Through meticulous historical research, heartfelt interviews, and groundbreaking DNA analysis, Joyce seeks to uncover the truths buried within her family's past.

Megan Robertson's Search for Her Great-Grandfather's Roots

5m 4s

Megan Robertson embarks on a poignant quest to demystify the lineage of her great-grandfather, Green Church, who was believed to have been adopted early in his life. Originating from a longstanding curiosity fueled by fragmented family lore, Megan's journey leads her to the discovery that instead of an adoptive family, Green was actually raised by his grandparents alongside his brother Rufus.

Viewers Like You Preview

32s

After a national casting call that received over nine thousand submissions, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets 3 everyday Americans. Each has a family mystery that they have spent years trying to solve—only to reach dead ends. Using genetic genealogy and old-fashioned detective work, Gates unravels these mysteries, allowing each of his guests to understand themselves—and their families--as never before.

In the Blood Preview

31s

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the roots of actor Michael Douglas & writer-director Lena Dunham. Both guests are the children of famous artists—and both proudly followed in their parents’ footsteps. But their family trees contain a cast of characters whose lives were forgotten. Gates recovers them, telling fascinating stories from the shtetls of Eastern Europe to the streets of colonial America.

Lena Dunham's Ancestors' Heartbreaking Story of Survival

4m 59s

Lena Dunham embarks on a poignant journey to uncover her family's past, revealing a deep connection to the Holocaust. From discovering ancestors' records in Poland to the heartbreaking story of survival and loss during World War II, this video offers a powerful glimpse into history and Dunham's personal legacy.

Michael Douglas Unravels His Family's Secret Past

7m 15s

Join Michael Douglas on a riveting quest into his family's hidden history. From escaping the Russian army to uncovering a legacy of survival and secrecy, dive into the Douglas family's untold stories and ancestral secrets.

Lena Dunham Uncovers Her Ancestor's Complex Legacy

5m 8s

We trace Lena Dunham's ancestry back to her paternal eighth great-grandfather, Stephanus van Cortlandt, a pivotal figure in the early history of New York City. Stephanus's life story unfolds as one of ambition, becoming the first native-born Mayor of New York. But Lena confronts the more troubling aspects of his legacy, including his dealings with the Lenape tribe and his involvement in slavery.

Anthony Ramos' Ancestor was Enslaved by Conquistadors

5m 13s

Anthony Ramos' 15th great-grandfather, Andrés de Llerina, an indigenous person from Tenerife, Spain, faced hardships due to the Spanish conquest, being driven from his land and enslaved by a conquistador named Fernandez de Lugo.

Tracy Morgan Discovers a Pre-Civil War Freed Ancestor

5m 46s

Surprisingly, Tracy Morgan's third great-grandfather, Wiley Warton, was listed by name in the 1860 census, indicating he was free before the Civil War -- a rare occurrence for black individuals at that time.

Tracy Morgan Discovers His Jewish Great-Great Grandfather

4m 58s

"It's like getting knocked out." Tracy Morgan reflects on the mystery surrounding his great-great-grandfather's identity and his relationship with his great-great grandmother, Viola.

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