Known as one of the most prolific educators in modern history, Henry Louis “Skip” Gates, Jr. has spent decades of his career dedicated to Black history, Black news and culture, from his career as a college professor to bringing “Finding Your Roots” and founding The Root as you read it today. magazine to life, there should be no question on whether he deserves to be part of this year’s The Root 100 honoree list! But how well do you really know the about this year’s The Root 100 honoree?
Suggested Reading
In the Beginning
Gates was born Sept. 16, 1950 in Keyser, W.Va. He grew up in the small neighboring factory town of Piedmont.
The Accident That Changed Everything
When he was only 14, Gates injured himself during a game of football. He suffered a hairline fracture in his hip, but a white doctor diagnosed him as psychosomatic, he wrote in a 1990 New York Times article, “About Men: A Giant Step.” Gates now walks with a cane and his right leg is more than two inches shorter than his other as a result of the injury.
Gates, the Journalist
There’s no way you thought the mastermind behind this Black publication didn’t come from a journalism background! Gates reportedly wrote his first column when he was 12 for the “Piedmont Herald.” He also wrote for his high school’s and college’s newspapers. Most notably, Gates has contributed to TIME, the New Yorker and, obviously, The Root!
Going to College
Gates earned his B.A. in History, summa cum laude, from Yale University in 1973, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from Clare College in 1979. He’s also an honorary fellow at Clare.
Becoming a Professor
In 1975, Gates was hired as a secretary in the African American Studies department at Yale. He also taught at Cornell University in the 1980s, where he was offered tenure. After leaving the university in 1989, Gates began teaching at Duke University before landing at Harvard University.
Honorary Degrees
Throughout his career, Gates has received over 50 honorary degrees from prestigious institutions like Harvard University and Williams College.
Becoming One of TIME’s ‘Most Influential People’ in 1997
TIME named Gates one of its “25 Most Influential Americans” in 1997. The magazine described the professor as a “prolific author, a whirlwind academic impresario and the de facto leader of a movement to transform black studies from a politically correct, academic backwater into a respected discipline on campuses across the U.S.”
Gates’ Ancestry Discovered
You probably know him for his “Finding Your Roots Show” on PBS. Gates found out his own ancestry is tied to the Yoruba people of Nigeria. He also has a significant amount of European ancestry, according to reports. In 2006, he was inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution after tracing his DNA to John Redman, a freed Black man who fought in the Revolutionary War.
Creating The Root
The Root Magazine officially launched on Jan. 28, 2008, founded by Gates and Donald E. Graham. At the time, Black media was at a crossroads and the co-founders wanted to provide Black Americans a platform for all things culture, politics and social commentary.
Gates is Arrested
On the night of July 16, 2009, Gates was arrested by officers after they thought he was trying to break into his own home. The professor accused the arresting officer — a white man — of racial profiling, which sparked national debate over race. The controversy behind the incident threatened to eclipse President Barack Obama’s inauguration as the biggest “Black news” of the young year.
Obama Responds with a ‘Beer Summit’
Obama defended Gates in the aftermath of his friend’s arrest, calling out the officer for “act[ing] stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home.” Of course, folks dragged the first Black president and his comments only fueled the already racist attacks he faced. Gates joined Obama at the White House to discuss the incident days later. The meeting was nicknamed “the beer summit.”
‘Finding Your Roots’ on PBS
Perhaps Gates’ most famous contribution to Black media is his show on PBS titled “Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.” It premiered on March 25, 2012 and focused on celebrities — many of whom are Black — tracing back their DNA and discovering the complex and shocking details within their family tree.
Gates on ‘Finding Your Roots’
“I think my motto for “Finding Your Roots” is that we narrate world history, one ancestor at a time,” Gates told The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s a way of telling an individual about their family tree, but it’s also a way of educating the American public about a chapter in world history of which most of them were not aware.”
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.
