finding your roots
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Genealogist Helps Activist Angela Davis Discover Her Family’s Shocking Origins in the U.S.
EXCLUSIVE: Activist Angela Davis got a huge surprise about her family tree during an episode of “Finding Your Roots.” We talked to the genealogist behind the shocking revelation.
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White Celebs Discovering They’re Black, Ciara’s Famous Cousin, and Other Shocking ‘ Finding Your Roots’ Episodes
Root 100 Honoree Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has given some our favorite celebrities some amazing information about their pasts on the hit PBS series.
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For Some White Celebrity Guests, ‘Finding Your Roots’ Means Learning You’re Black
Host Henry Louis Gates Jr. shared some of the shocking reveals with our Editor-in-Chief
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Wait, Ciara and Derek Jeter Are Cousins? And Whoopi is Related to Who?
Ciara and Whoopi Goldberg got some shocking news about their family this week.
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Finding Your Roots Exclusive Clip: Comedian Roy Wood Jr. Has a Serious Teachable Moment About His Enslaved Ancestors
Roy Wood Jr. is a funny guy. If you don’t follow him on Twitter, specifically, your timeline is sorely lacking in his particular brand of comedy. I especially enjoyed his chicken sandwich coalition series in the past year or so. Anyway, the comedian has had a bunch of projects, including serving as correspondent for The…
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Tracing Your Roots: DNA Connected Me With White Kin
A reader wants to know if and how the black and white branches of his family connected during slavery. Dear Professor Gates: My entire life, I’ve never met another person with the surname Tillage that I wasn’t related to. They all have originated from Murfreesboro, Tenn. My great-great-grandfather was named Jesse Tillage and was born…
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‘I’m Black!’: Director Ava DuVernay Celebrates Her Heritage on Finding Your Roots
Ava DuVernay is black, y’all. The director and producer extraordinaire and all-around example of #BlackGirlMagic took a dive into her family history on Finding Your Roots with the show’s host, Henry Louis Gates Jr. In the dive into the past, DuVernay discovered that among her ancestors were white French slave owners who fled the revolt…