Finding My Roots
In a unique and highly emotional episode, actor Laurence Fishburne is joined by scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr.—who finds himself a guest on his own show for the first time. Both men have been haunted by profound family mysteries for years. Cutting-edge DNA detective work will solve those mysteries—introducing Laurence and Henry to ancestors whose names they have longed to hear.
Episodes
-
Finding My Roots
S11 E10 - 52m 10s
In a unique and highly emotional episode, actor Laurence Fishburne is joined by scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr.—who finds himself a guest on his own show for the first time. Both men have been haunted by profound family mysteries for years. Cutting-edge DNA detective work will solve those mysteries—introducing Laurence and Henry to ancestors whose names they have longed to hear.
-
Moving On Up
S11 E9 - 52m 10s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets actor Sheryl Lee Ralph and historian Lonnie Bunch—two African Americans whose ancestors broke boundaries as they moved from slavery to freedom. Traveling from plantations in the south to cities in the north, Gates uses his detective skills to piece together the lives of women and men who survived unimaginable ordeals—and emerged to forge thriving families.
-
The Butterfly Effect
S11 E8 - 52m 10s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. introduces actors Debra Messing & Melanie Lynskey to ancestors who made bold decisions that forever reshaped their family trees. Moving from shtetls in Eastern Europe to a fruit stand in NY City to the wilds of New Zealand, Gates introduces his guests to relatives who took great risks, overcame enormous hardships—and unwittingly transformed the lives of their descendants.
-
The Ties That Bind
S11 E7 - 52m 10s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets actors Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard—a married couple who discover that their ancestors had some remarkable similarities. In stories that span continents and centuries, Gates introduces Kristen and Dax to the soldiers, settlers, and criminals who make up their roots, allowing his guests to understand themselves—and their families--as never before.
-
Latin Roots
S11 E6 - 52m 10s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps musician Rubén Blades & journalist Natalie Morales uncover their hidden roots in Latin America, revealing secrets that their ancestors went to great lengths to conceal. Traveling from Puerto Rico to Columbia to Brazil, Gates & his guests recover long-lost family stories—meet heroes and villains--and celebrate the virtue of accepting one’s relatives whoever they may be.
-
Family Recipes
S11 E5 - 52m 10s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the family trees of celebrity chefs José Andrés & Sean Sherman—two men who have combined culinary skills with profound humanitarian goals. Traveling from small-town Spain to Native American lands in the Dakotas, Gates explores where these qualities came from, revealing that the ancestors of José & Sean have hidden connections to key moments in history—and to food.
-
Dreamers One And All
S11 E4 - 52m 10s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets actor Sharon Stone & model Chrissy Teigen—two stars who found fame when they were young & lived much of their lives in the limelight, knowing little about their roots. Gates reveals they aren’t the first people in their families who dared to dream big, tracing lineages from Eastern Europe to Medieval France to rural Thailand.
-
Stranger Than Fiction
S11 E3 - 52m 10s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of two award-winning writers: novelist Amy Tan and poet Rita Dove, tracing lineages that run from a plantation in Maryland to a speakeasy in Washington, DC to a village in central China. Along the way, Amy and Rita reimagine themselves as they learn the true stories of the people who laid the groundwork for their success—and inspired their art.
-
La Famiglia
S11 E2 - 52m 10s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the family trees of talk show host Joy Behar and actor Michael Imperioli—two Americans whose roots stretch back to small towns in Calabria, Italy. Joy and Michael’s families lived in these towns for centuries, but their stories were lost on the journey to America. Gates reveals the challenges that their ancestors faced—and overcame—on both sides of the Atlantic.
-
Larger Than Life
S11 E1 - 52m 10s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. introduces actors Lea Salonga and Amanda Seyfried to ancestors who are every bit as dramatic as the characters they’ve played on stage and screen. Moving from a naval base in the Philippines to a small town bakery in Pennsylvania to steamships on the Atlantic Ocean, Lea and Amanda hear stories of relatives who survived wars, murders, and heart-wrenching ordeals.
Extras + Features
-
The Complex Chapter in Natalie Morales' Family History
S11 E6 - 3m 59s
Natalie Morales learns about her maternal third great grandfather, Domingos, a farmer born in Brazil, a father to thirteen children. Going further back, Henry Louis Gates and researchers determine her first ancestor to come to Brazil from Portugal.
-
Latin Roots Preview
S11 E6 - 30s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. helps musician Rubén Blades & journalist Natalie Morales uncover their hidden roots in Latin America, revealing secrets that their ancestors went to great lengths to conceal. Traveling from Puerto Rico to Columbia to Brazil, Gates & his guests recover long-lost family stories—meet heroes and villains—and celebrate the virtue of accepting one’s relatives whoever they may be.
-
Rubén Blades Traces His Panamanian Heritage
S11 E6 - 4m 5s
Rubén learns about the difficult life of his African ancestor in Panama on his mother's side.
-
José Andrés Discovers His Ancestors Were Bakers
S11 E5 - 4m 41s
José Andrés discovers his paternal great-great grandmother was abandoned and given to nuns as a baby.
-
Family Recipes Preview
S11 E5 - 30s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the family trees of celebrity chefs José Andrés & Sean Sherman—two men who have combined culinary skills with profound humanitarian goals. Traveling from small-town Spain to Native American lands in the Dakotas, Gates explores where these qualities came from, revealing that the ancestors of José & Sean have hidden connections to key moments in history—and to food.
-
Sean Sherman Learns About A Tragic Past
S11 E5 - 4m 7s
Sean learns his paternal great-great grandmother was sent east as a child to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, a decision which forced her to abandon her culture and family.
-
Chrissy Teigen Discovers Very Unique Lost Family History
S11 E4 - 4m 7s
The story of Chrissy Teigen’s paternal great-grandparents was largely unknown to her. Research determines that she is descended from multiple generations of musicians, and from the Sinti people, a subgroup of the Romani people. The Roma, or Romani people were often denigrated as Gypsies, but it explains why Teigen’s ancestors moved so often.
-
Dreamers One and All Preview
S11 E4 - 30s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets actor Sharon Stone & model Chrissy Teigen—two stars who found fame when they were young & lived much of their lives in the limelight, knowing little about their roots. Gates reveals they aren’t the first people in their families who dared to dream big, tracing lineages from Eastern Europe to Medieval France to rural Thailand.
-
The Hardships in Sharon Stone's Ancestry
S11 E4 - 4m 13s
Sharon learns about the hardships endured by her mother and her paternal ancestors, one of whom fought in the U.S. Civil War.
-
Stranger Than Fiction Preview
S11 E3 - 30s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of two award-winning writers: novelist Amy Tan and poet Rita Dove, tracing lineages that run from a plantation in Maryland to a speakeasy in Washington, DC to a village in central China. Along the way, Amy and Rita reimagine themselves as they learn the true stories of the people who laid the groundwork for their success—and inspired their art.
-
Amy Tan Learns About Her Father's Past in China
S11 E3 - 4m 11s
Amy discovers records of her father's immigration from China and his many accomplishments.
-
Rita Dove's Ancestor Had Run-Ins With the Law
S11 E3 - 4m 19s
Rita learns about her grandfather's criminal charges and trying adulthood.
Schedule
-
Image
Finding Your Roots
Out of the Past
Wednesday
Apr 23
1 Hour
Actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry-Housley uncover their lost roots. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Out of the Past
Wednesday
Apr 23
1 Hour
Actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry-Housley uncover their lost roots. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Out of the Past
Saturday
Apr 26
1 Hour
Actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry-Housley uncover their lost roots. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Out of the Past
Sunday
Apr 27
1 Hour
Actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry-Housley uncover their lost roots. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Out of the Past
Sunday
Apr 27
1 Hour
Actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry-Housley uncover their lost roots. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Out of the Past
Sunday
Apr 27
1 Hour
Actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry-Housley uncover their lost roots. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Out of the Past
Monday
Apr 28
1 Hour
Actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry-Housley uncover their lost roots. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Out of the Past
Monday
Apr 28
1 Hour
Actors Billy Crudup and Tamera Mowry-Housley uncover their lost roots. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Tuesday
Apr 29
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Tuesday
Apr 29
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Wednesday
Apr 30
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Wednesday
Apr 30
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Wednesday
Apr 30
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Wednesday
Apr 30
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Saturday
May 3
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Sunday
May 4
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Monday
May 5
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Forever Young
Monday
May 5
1 Hour
Actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser explore their family histories. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Children of Exile
Tuesday
May 6
1 Hour
The family histories of David Chang and Raúl Esparza. -
Image
Finding Your Roots
Children of Exile
Tuesday
May 6
1 Hour
The family histories of David Chang and Raúl Esparza.
WETA Passport
Stream tens of thousands of hours of your PBS and local favorites with WETA Passport whenever and wherever you want. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch full seasons before they air on TV.
Similar Shows
You're Doing It Wrong
Culture
American Veteran
Culture
People of the North
Culture
The Warrior Tradition
Culture
Rudy Maxa's World
Culture
iQ: smartparent
Culture
Weekends with Yankee
Culture