In 1815, an ancestor of Alanis Morissette, and his companions, attempted a daring feat of riding a boat over the Chaudière Falls in Ontario, Canada. A folk song recounts their bravery, with some losing their lives in the attempt.

Henry Louis Gates , Jr. explores the roots of singers Alanis Morissette and Ciara — using DNA analysis and genealogical detective work to trace lineages that run from shtetls in Eastern Europe to Jazz Age Harlem. Along the way, Alanis and Ciara reimagine their families and meet the people who laid the groundwork for their success — including one ancestor who was at the center of a song.

In addition to exploring the family mysteries of three members of the viewing public, chosen for the series following a casting call, Season 10 of "Finding Your Roots" dives into the ancestral backgrounds and stories of Valerie Bertinelli, Danielle Brooks, LeVar Burton, Ciara, Michael Douglas, Lena Dunham, Brendan Fraser, Sammy Hagar, Sunny Hostin, Tracy Morgan, Alanis Morissette and more.

Check out the incredible guests who will be joining Henry Louis Gates, Jr. this season to uncover their roots. And for the first time in our show’s 10 season history, three *viewers like you* will be featured on the show. This season is remarkable in many ways, and we will see you in January, only on PBS!

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. uncovers the lost roots of actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry-Housley, traveling back generations to recount significant events in history—from the American Revolution to the journey of the Mayflower—in a deeply personal way.

Henry Louis 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.

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.

"If you know your legacy, you know your history, you will find many interesting things." -- Jeh Johnson remarking on the long line of accomplished ancestors on the maternal and paternal sides of his family.

Angela Davis' great-grandfather, Isom, not only marks her family's transition from slavery to freedom, he's also at the center of a fascinating story involving the Freedmen's Bureau.

Actor Richard Kind had always considered himself fortunate that he didn't have relatives who were in the Holocaust. But in this clip, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. reveals that the actor had a number of ancestors who were killed in the Holocaust, and one who survived.

David Duchovny and Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. trace the story of David's family journey to New York, the separation, reunion and tragic circumstances that later led to his great-grandfather relocating to Israel.

Henry Louis Gates helps actors David Duchovny and Richard Kind trace their roots from Jewish communities in Eastern Europe and the Middle East to the United States. Telling stories of triumph and tragedy, Gates reveals how his guest’s ancestors tested the limits of luck and familial love as they battled to escape oppression and build a better life for future generations.

Joe Manganiello says his maternal great-grandmother, Terviz “Rose” Darakijan, survived the Armenian Genocide, during which over 1 million ethnic Armenians were murdered by the Ottoman state. Darakijan survived, but her entire family — her husband and seven out of eight children — were slaughtered by Turkish soldiers in 1915.

Tony Gonzalez and Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. discover a story of family separation during slavery and a remarkable reunion. Gonzalez, is widely considered the greatest tight end in NFL history, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

Henry Louis Gates uses DNA detective work to solve family mysteries for actor Joe Manganiello and football star Tony Gonzalez— uncovering close relatives whose names they’ve never heard and compelling each man to rethink his own identity.

Brian Cox learns that his grandfather was likely exposed to poison gas while fighting as a Scottish highlander in the 9th Battalion of the Black Watch while fighting on the Western Front during WWI.

Viola Davis and Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. dive into her family's past, and with the help of DNA and local records, discover a surprising secret her grandfather kept to himself. Viola Davis is a critically-revered, award-winning actress, producer, and New York Times Best-Selling Author. She is the first black actress to win two Tony Awards, an Oscar an Emmy and a Grammy.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. traces the roots of actors Brian Cox and Viola Davis, uncovering records from workhouses in Scotland and slave plantations in South Carolina that reveal individuals who battled to build a better life for their families.

Because of a strained relationship with his father, actor Danny Trejo never learned much about his roots. But here, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. reveals the story of his great-grandparents' and their four children's grueling journey by foot from Mexico to the U.S. shortly after World War I.

Singer Cyndi Lauper, who has devoted her life to an array of social causes, had a great-grandfather who, as a "general agitator," helped organize a rebellion against unfair monetary policies in Switzerland in the early 1650s.