Professor Gates's Blog

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Musician John Legend

John Legend’s Unique Family History

Each family story is unique, and each of these stories contributes to our greater understanding of humanity. Finding these stories and sharing them with my guests is the most rewarding aspect of making these documentary series. This is particularly true … Continue reading ...

May 15, 2012 | 8 COMMENTS

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. interviews Condoleezza Rice for Finding Your Roots

Condoleezza Rice and the Complexities of Race

Last summer, in August 2010, I gave a presentation on genealogy and genetics to the board of directors of the Aspen Institute at our annual board meeting. After showing a clip from our previous PBS series, Faces of America, I … Continue reading ...

May 8, 2012 | 5 COMMENTS

Robert Downey, Jr. on Finding Your Roots

Robert Downey, Jr.’s Family Tree Challenge

When I contacted Robert Downey Jr.’s agent to ask permission to trace his family tree, he responded with an interesting challenge. He asked me to write to Mr. Downey directly, explaining why I wanted him specifically to be part of … Continue reading ...

April 20, 2012 | 3 COMMENTS

Angela Buchdahl: A Korean and Jewish Heritage

I didn’t even know that women could become rabbis, let alone a woman whose mother is a Korean Buddhist! To my surprise, I encountered Angela Buchdahl: the world’s first Jewish-Korean female cantor and rabbi, presiding over one of our country’s largest and most beautiful synagogues in the middle of Manhattan. Continue reading ...

April 15, 2012 | 10 COMMENTS

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. with Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren

Rick Warren: Preaching Runs in the Family

Like many African Americans, I was stunned that President-elect asked Pastor Rick Warren to deliver the Invocation at his inauguration. But when I thought about it, that move was classic Obama: Obama the bridge, the healer. Continue reading ...

April 15, 2012 | 4 COMMENTS

Educator Geoffrey Canada with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Geoffrey Canada: What’s in a Name

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on the fascinating and fraught history of choosing one's name in the African American tradition and educator Geoffrey Canada's search for his name's origin. Continue reading ...

April 1, 2012 | 2 COMMENTS

The Genealogy of a Civil Rights Legend

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on researching and sharing the family history of Civil Rights leader and current Congressman John Lewis on Finding Your Roots. Continue reading ...

March 26, 2012 | 23 COMMENTS

Kevin Bacon: “I always keep a bag packed”

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on discussing genealogy with actor Kevin Bacon for the Finding Your Roots series and on Bacon's reluctance to focus on the past. Continue reading ...

March 8, 2012 | Leave a comment

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

A Virtual Family: Finding Your Genealogy

Professor Gates on the joy that comes with reuniting with your "virtual family"—people in your family tree you never met but whose experiences (and DNA) have had a profound impact on who you are. Continue reading ...

February 24, 2012 | 24 COMMENTS

The Interconnected Black and White Americas

I think the biggest surprise for me so far is how inextricably intertwined the history of white Americans is with black Americans. This turns out to be true even at the level of the genes—not the genetic makeup of the two white Americans we have filmed, but definitely the genetic makeup of Branford Marsalis and John Legend. Continue reading ...

June 26, 2011 | 37 COMMENTS

About the Series

The basic drive to discover who we are and where we come from is at the core of the new 10-part PBS series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the 12th series from Professor Gates, the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University and director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research. Filmed on location across the United States, the series premieres nationally Sundays, March 25 – May 20 at 8 pm ET on PBS (check local listings).