Great Grandfather Died in Battle
Issa Rae discovers that in 1917 her Great Grandfather died in battle for the French by German shellfire.
Biracial Grandmother
Gayle King talks about her grandmother, who was biracial, and how she was ashamed to speak of her father.
Flight Preview
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets actors Scarlett Johansson and Lupita Nyong’o, and chef Lidia Bastianich — three women whose families crisscrossed the globe to escape oppression and find opportunity, leaving them with questions about their relatives who stayed behind.
Lupita Nyong’o Has DNA from the Oldest Maternal Haplogroup
Lupita Nyongo carries DNA from the oldest maternal haplogroup called Mitochondrial Eve, something we’ve never seen on the show before. During this time, no human beings were alive outside of Africa meaning every person on Earth was Black!
Scarlett Johansson Remembers Her Family Pre-Holocaust
Scarlett Johansson discovers the tragic fate of her family that stayed behind in Poland during the Holocaust. She reflects on the decision her great-grandfather made to flee to America and the immense impact it had on her entire family line.
Journey To America
Scarlett Johansson discovers the tragic fate of her family that stayed behind in Poland during the Holocaust. She reflects on the decision her great-grandfather made to flee to America and the immense impact it had on her entire family line.
Wasrsaw Unexpected
Scarlett Johansson discovers the tragic fate of her family that stayed behind in Poland during the Holocaust. She reflects on the decision her great-grandfather made to flee to America and the immense impact it had on her entire family line.
Father Missing
Lupita Nyongo carries DNA from the oldest maternal haplogroup called Mitochondrial Eve, something we’ve never seen on the show before. During this time, no human beings were alive outside of Africa meaning every person on Earth was Black!
Saying Goodbye
As a child, Lidia Bastianich’s family fled her hometown of Pola to escape
communist rule. She ended up spending two years in a refugee camp before finally securing a visa to the United States.
Bill Hader's Sixth Great-Grandfather
Bill Hader is a descendant of a Patriot! His sixth great-grandfather fought in
the American Revolution in 1775 under George Washington’s command. #FindingYourRoots
Military Child
Julianne Moore’s father served in the US Army where he completed 550
combat missions & received multiple medals. After delving into Julianne's ancestry, we found
her military roots run deep – her great-grandfather served in the Mexican-American & Civil War!
Union Soldier
Kehinde Wiley’s great-grandfather was one of 370 black soldiers to serve in
WWI when the military, like almost all of America at the time, was segregated. His grueling
assignment was to remove dead bodies from temporary graves for reburial in army cemeteries.
War Stories Preview
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the roots of actor Julianne Moore, comedian Bill Hader, and painter Kehinde Wiley, revealing how their ancestors’ military service left an indelible mark both on their families and on their country.
DNA Mysteries Preview
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. uses DNA detective work to solve mysteries in the family trees of actor Téa Leoni, and radio host Joe Madison, introducing each of them to parents and grandparents whose names they’ve never heard before.
Téa Leoni Learns More About An Unknown Grandmother
Téa Leoni's learns more about the grandmother she and her mother never met.
A Mystery in the Family Tree
Joe Madison discovers that the man he believed to be his biological father was actually not related to him at all.
Téa Leoni Discovers Her Biological Grandmother
Téa Leoni discovers who an unknown biological grandmother is, solving a question she has had her whole life.
Family Vengeance
As the inheritor of her ancestor's experiences, Diane von Furstenberg shares an aspect of herself that may have resulted from all that her family endured.
From Cuba to Newark in Winter
Narciso Rodriquez's parents settle in Newark, New Jersey, after coming to America from Cuba, speaking no English and desperate to work.
RuPaul Discovers His Great-Grandparents' Marriage Record
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.
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