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

Becoming A Public Figure

1m 49s

Narciso Rodriguez received his big break when designing a wedding dress for his dear friend Caroline Bessette who was soon to marry John F. Kennedy Jr. Little did Narciso know that request would change his life.

RuPaul Discovers His Great-Grandparents' Marriage Record

1m 29s

RuPaul discovers his great-grandparents' marriage record from 1870. He then connects the experience to similar oppressions he and his distant ancestors faced when marrying the person they loved.

Fashion's Roots Preview

30s

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. steps into the world of fashion and meets three icons of style — Diane Von Furstenberg, Narciso Rodriguez, and RuPaul Charles — introducing ancestors who were just as audacious as they are.

New Finding Your Roots Episodes Return This Fall

3m 1s

New episodes of Finding Your Roots are back Tuesday, October 13, at 8/7c! Check out the guests who will be joining Henry Louis Gates, Jr. next to uncover their family histories.

Criminal Kind Preview

30s / TV-PG

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the roots of actor Laura Linney and journalists Lisa Ling and Soledad O’Brien—telling them stories of tricksters, scoundrels, and outright criminals, who nevertheless laid the groundwork for their success.

Italian Roots Preview

30s / TV-PG

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the roots of talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and actors Marisa Tomei and John Turturro, introducing them to ancestors who made immense sacrifices to bring their families from Italy to America.

Slave Trade Preview

30s

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. journeys with film director Ava DuVernay, actor S. Epatha Merkerson, and musician Questlove to the unexpected places where their ancestors were scattered by slavery, upending their notions of African American history—and their own family trees.

Science Pioneers Preview

30s

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. traces the family trees of Francis Collins, Shirley Ann Jackson, and Harold E. Varmus — three pioneering scientists who’ve made dramatic contributions to our understanding of the world, all the while knowing little about their own ancestry.

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