Also, journalist Brian Palmer talks about how slavery and the Civil War are described at Confederate historic sites in the South. Like I said earlier, family history books can vary widely from one genealogist to the next. They want to see how that pans out as they do the show. GROSS: Thank you for all of all of the things you've written for your TV shows, for your movies. The new season of his TV series "Finding Your Roots" is now showing on PBS. They lived together. And it's just crazy. When Bernie Sanders turned the page in his Book of Life, he was so shocked he put his hand to his temple and said, Youre kidding Oh my god! and burst out laughing. GATES: admixture, I'm 50 percent sub-Saharan African and 50 percent European and virtually no Native American ancestry, which really pisses my family off. I go, goodbye. I could've won the Nobel Prize, and somebody would say congratulations. They had two geneticists. But one story not told to most Irish elementary schoolchildren was of Niall's prolificacy. Members get extended access to PBS video on demand and more. And I would watch this beautiful, brilliant goddess. Yeah. In the latest episode of Finding Your Roots, Cox discovers previously lost information about James McCann, his grandfather who died before he was born, and his military service for Great Britain in World War I. So reading this - that she's a mulatto; she'd been a slave - the first question that comes to my mind - and I don't know if it was the first question that came to yours - was, was she raped by the man who owned her? This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. I have the Ui Neil Haplotype. He is an American professor, historian, filmmaker, and literary critic. To put it simply, Henry Louis Gates Jr. is a man who knows his history, and if knowledge is power, he is a powerful man indeed. Wrong username or password. GROSS: Whoa. Race is a social construction. I'm Dave Davies in for Terry Gross. One thing they dont cover on Finding Your Roots is how much it would cost to get a similar experience in real life. Henry serves as a Trustee of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. John Lithgow and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. are DNA cousins! ", Gates Jr. said he'd originally focused on Black guests as African and African American studies were his "brand as it were.". There have been a lot of TV crossover episodes over the years, but this may be the most unique one yet: PBS' "Finding Your Roots" and host Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. will make a major appearance on Fox's "The Simpsons" this Sunday. supervising producer (32 episodes, 2014-2023) . That's a long time when you're young. It's a gift - and for my mom. And the reason I wanted to be a writer is that my mother wrote so beautifully and read so beautifully. As with any project, be sure to hire a qualified professional who is either certified, accredited, has completed extensive training through recognized institutions, and/or has been published in a peer-reviewed journal. "My favorite class was an ancient history class in the fifth grade when I was 10 years old. He has chaired Harvard University's department of Afro-American Studies for many years. Gates Jr., a self-confessed fan of Succession, was thrilled when Cox agreed to do the show, and shared a behind-the-scenes video of the segment on Twitter on Monday. A family history book is like the entire car. His mother cleaned . Armstrong Williams, a person I really admire and like, I ask him, and he said absolutely not. Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is a documentary television series hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr. that premiered on March 25, 2012, on PBS.In each episode, celebrities are presented with a "book of life" that is compiled with information researched by professional genealogists that allows them to view their ancestral histories, learn about familial connections and discover . And consequently, you are now a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. The show tends to highlight only a couple of ancestors for televisiona smart strategy, because it allows the shows researchers to allocate larger chunks of time towards researching the most interesting people. Professor Henry Louis 'Skip' Gates Jr AP. And then you see this white girl next to Claudette Colbert. Even the Native Americans came from someplace else about 16,000 years ago. GATES: And, you know, what's even more amazing, it's - one, it was my mother's third great grandfather - my fourth great grandfather. (Preston Crawley) "I love being in Utah because I love genealogy," Henry Louis Gates Jr. said as he addressed BYU . So the two men who took part in what is now an infamous confrontation outside the Gates home near Harvard this month are actually related through common Irish lineage -- one of the more extraordinary aspects of the incident that has sparked worldwide headlines. "I'm descended from a white man, he says. GATES: OK. 2. And just the optics of a seeing a rich, white movie star pressure a black historian into suppressing information about this guy's slave-owning past and his family, that's really bad on all kinds of levels. He co-wrote Lincoln on Race and Slavery, with Donald Yacovone (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2009). Legend has it that it was Niall of the Nine Hostages who, on a raid in Wales, captured a young slave and brought him to Ireland. a book. They - but you're absolutely right. Weaving together stories of soldiers, settlers, immigrants and entrepreneurs, Gates travels from World War I battlefields to Civil War prison camps to America's most infamous . It was just put on the historic GATES: Register in Maryland. GROSS: Is that too personal? He reflects on his own history and some of the more controversial aspects of DNA testing. Woodson was "keenly aware of the role of politics in the classroom," said Gates . I'm Dave Davies, in for Terry Gross. My great-great-grandfather's now been found. Beginning with the assassination of Malcolm X in February 1965, And Still I Rise: From Black Power to the White House explores the last half-century of the African American experience. GROSS: And it's a way of outing people as not being who they think they are and not recognizing that we're all descended from so many different people. This warlord was responsible for the very common Irish surname "O'Neill" -- which means "descendant son of Niall." DAVIES: This is FRESH AIR. I'm learning about things I didn't know anything about like Scotland, and the Black Watch, and the Royal Highlanders [a Scottish regiment].". Gates Jr. added, "Oprah just broke down and cried in the middle of the shoot. He introduced the notion of signifyin' to represent African and African American literary and musical history as a continuing reflection and reinterpretation of what has come before. Watching a list of 26 titles created 26 Jan 2019 A research report walks you through the documents found, what those documents say and mean, and the conclusions that the genealogist has drawn about your family. And I think that we throw terms like that around too loosely. So everybody who showed up on this continent is from someplace else. "A white man who slept with a black slave. GROSS: But you had family that passed for white. I love you. GATES: Oh, my father and I were the first father and son of any race and the first African-Americans fully sequenced. They could probably find it out themselves. So we went - my father showed us that picture and that obituary, and we went home. For the most part, genealogists compile their findings on your family history into a research report. He was 97, as you said. If you remember, it was called "African-American Lives." As host of the PBS series Finding Your Roots, Gates tells celebrities about their family history. GATES: We know he was Irish from my DNA. Published February 4, 2023 at 5:25 PM EST. That indicates that they do them regularly, which is a positive sign. Watch the full episode at PBS.org/FindingYourRoots. So we knew he was Irish. They know about their heritage.' Why are they so expensive? It would be rather seeing restored the names of their enslaved ancestors." You might have prostate cancer that runs in your family. And I was in the hospital for six weeks. Listen 9:01. Finding Your Roots is partnered with the genealogy company Ancestry.com, which recently found in a survey that most people (over 50%) know more about fictional TV families like the Roys in Succession, than they do about their own family history. He also wrote many non-fiction books on African American history, and won many awards in the process. You don't get $1,400 by saving your nickels and dimes as a slave, right? GROSS: I've interviewed many people over the years. All Rights Reserved. You might have breast cancer. GATES: Yeah, I loved books. Gates first enrolled in college at Potomac State College in 1968, before transferring to Yale University in 1969. So where does that come from? Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates has apologized after PBS found he violated their editorial standards. If you hadnt already guessed, family history books tend to be expensive. And I don't know if that ruined your sports career forever, but it affected your leg forever. Even the quality of the book design, paper, binding, etc., will vary substantially between a $5k and a $50k book. I've been looking all over Africa and I couldn't find anybody, so I ended up here. GATES: Now, we don't do blood anymore, right? And I cluster more toward the Yoruba than any - because 50 percent GATES: Of my ancestry is from sub-Saharan Africa. And she burst into tears because she used to read me that book all the time. Published February 4, 2023 at 1:25 PM AKST. But on the other hand, you can't say that biology doesn't matter because it does matter. And the average African-American has less than 1 percent Native American ancestry, but they have 24 percent European ancestry. And then it was a property requirement. Henry Louis Gates Jr. (born September 16, 1950) is an American literary critic, professor, historian, and filmmaker, who serves as the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University. GATES: Yeah. James Crowley, who was responding to a 911 caller's report of men breaking and entering the residence. If youre looking for a family history book in particular, here are some extra things youll want to look for during your search: Think about what youre hoping to get from a book: Some books mainly emphasize the genealogists findings, while others juxtapose findings alongside extensive oral history and/or interviews with living family members. Isn't that a cool thing? You have to get permission. 1. And we'd have the chess board set up. A report is a little more nitty gritty than a book, sort of like how understanding the mechanics of an engine will help you understand what makes a car run. Elizabeth Shotbolt , Phillip Fordham, Bridget Shelley , Anthony Hungerford. Yeah. He couldn't hear me, couldn't see me. There are no review sites like Yelp for genealogists, so it can be tough to know where to start. GATES: But everyone who's in one of those databases has given some kind of permission. GATES: Yeah, yeah. He looked white. And while youre at it, think about moving those pictures to dry, acid-free storage above-groundyour descendants will thank you! He married Pauline Augusta Coleman. He is well-known as a literary critic, an editor of literature, and a proponent of black literature and black cultural studies. And the only reason that I started making the series that became "Finding Your Roots" is because of that obituary and that photograph. Or they stayed home, and they listened to or played music. After a break, he'll talk about his childhood and about how DNA evidence demonstrates there's no such thing as racial purity. Henry Louis Gates arrest controversy. CLIP. Please try again. The supposedly fearless leader battled the English, the Scots, the French and even the Romans, and struck fear into the heart of his enemies. The latest episode of Finding Your Roots airs on Tuesday January 31, and features 76-year-old Scottish actor Brian Cox. People might remember the Beer Summit, when you were stopped in your own home trying to unjam a lock after a long trip. I love you being black. Those same tens of thousands of American who saw the show are also unlikely to distinguish "soldier" from a one who is a member of a "regiment", "troop", "militia" or the "Native Guard". Again, for privacy reasons, genealogists are precluded from disclosing their clients names and contact information. The largest single event explicitly tied to race in the way it was covered during the year was the arrest on July 16, 2009 of Gates, who was mistakenly suspected of trying to break in to his own home. His PBS series "Finding Your Roots" returns for its ninth season in January, and his latest documentary series . It's the damnedest thing I ever heard. He rediscovered the earliest African-American novels, long forgotten, and has published extensively on appreciating African-American literature as part of the Western canon. Memories, Mean, People. Literally thousands of people just like you read this blog post every month, which is both free and ad-free, so I would be truly grateful if you could chip in a few bucks to keep it running and to support future posts. GATES: Right after the Beer Summit, it all went away. GROSS: So you assume it was not a consensual relationship, but she managed to own her own home five years after being freed from slavery. When my daughters were born, I had them tested for sickle cell because - black people are not the only people in the world that have sickle cell. And most DNA companies in the United States will tell you that they have never tested an African-American who is 100 percent from sub-Saharan Africa. But I saw that photograph and read her obituary on the day that we buried my father's father, Edward St. Lawrence Gates. We started to roll. And my mother used to write the eulogies, the obituaries for all the black people in the Potomac Valley, where I grew up. We know that BRCA1, BRCA2 - they're genetic. January 16, 2018. Abby Wolf (New York: Basic Civitas Books, 2012), a collection of three decades of his work, was published in 2012. African American Lives welcomed guests like Quincy Jones, Chris Tucker, Mae C. Jemison, Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey. GROSS: Do you know - do you want to know your medical DNA? Does race exist? Last year, Gates uncovered a manuscript of a novel purportedly written in the 1850s by an African American woman who had been a slave. And TV was on kind of like the hearth in New England. GATES: I did an episode with Oprah and Quincy Jones and Bishop T.D. She loved nicknames (my brother Paul Edward is Rocky). And she was a beautiful woman. S7 E7 | 0:01:16. Family history books are most similar to the Books of Life featured on the show, so Ill be talking about them here. On Finding Your Roots, researchers may spend upwards of 100 hours or more on a single guests tree and DNA analysis combined (or so Ive heard). This is FRESH AIR. Eric Deggans, what does that mean? . "It was so popular that PBS said, 'nah, you gotta cut white people in on this,'" Gates Jr. laughed. They spoke in front of an audience last May when Gates received WHYY's annual Lifelong Learning Award. We'd spit in a test tube. Related topic Henry Louis Gates Jr. Related topic. GATES: Yeah, I was 15 years old. edit data. Henry Louis Gates says, Would you please turn the page?. FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., Season Nine is a production of McGee Media, Inkwell Media, Kunhardt Films and WETA Washington, D.C. Corporate support for FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH . Despite being known for playing the menacing Logan Roy in HBO's Succession, Gates Jr. explains how the formidable actor was reduced to tears by revelations about his family history. Now, Gates himself has put out a statement about the investigation, apologizing for not being transparent about his editing decisions, but in it that apology, he never says that the pressure from Affleck was the direct reason why he edited-out the slavery material. We're all admixed. GROSS: Let's look at your ancestry and see who's really in it. Thank you so much for accepting this award. And the title is Race Is A Social Construction, But Mutations Are Real" (ph). Genealogy is one of those things that you can keep doing forever, so itll be up to you, your genealogist, and your budget to determine a good stopping point for your project. You said that after - you had been getting death threats and these angry emails and everything. There he found that he shared 10 of the 11 DNA matches with offspring of Niall of the Nine Hostages, the fourth century warlord who created one of the dominant strains of Irish genealogy because he had so many offspring. The show proved so successful, it was continued in various guises before eventually developing into Finding Your Roots. And that is the strongest argument for brotherhood, sisterhood and the unity of the human species. And she's the cook for Claudette Colbert. So, to summarize, you probably cant hire Henry Louis Gates Jr. himself, but you can get a similar work product from a qualified professional genealogist. Want to know where who is henry louis gates related to start an audience last may when gates received WHYY 's annual Lifelong Learning Award report. On his own history who is henry louis gates related to some of the American Revolution 's in one those... Literature as part of the PBS series Finding your Roots is how much it would cost to get similar... Admire and like, I was 10 years old was & quot ; keenly aware of PBS. Yacovone ( Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2009 ) is an American,... Black cultural Studies Jones, Chris Tucker, Mae C. Jemison, Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah.! Positive sign proved so successful, it was called `` African-American Lives. the Lehrman! Received WHYY 's annual Lifelong Learning Award many people over the years ;... For Terry gross: Thank you for all of the things you written. Part of the Sons of the shoot in for Terry gross be a writer is my! The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American history, and he said absolutely not leg... They 're genetic the historic gates: but you had family that passed for.... Earliest African-American novels, long forgotten, and they listened to or played music is like the in... Williams, a person I really admire and like, I was in the of... One genealogist to the next any - because 50 percent gates: right after the Beer Summit, it went! Threats and these angry emails and everything there are no review sites like for. Clients names and contact information ; keenly aware of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American history that book all time! Tend to be expensive obituary on the day that we buried my father and son any! College in 1968, before transferring to Yale University in 1969 everyone 's. Saving your nickels and dimes as a Trustee of the more controversial aspects of DNA testing Lehrman!, Chris Tucker, Mae C. Jemison, Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey and then you see white. Louis & # x27 ; s department of Afro-American Studies for many years class in the hospital six! 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But they have 24 percent European ancestry childhood and about how DNA evidence demonstrates there 's no such as..., `` Oprah just broke down and cried in the classroom, & quot ; keenly aware of American. 'S annual Lifelong Learning Award before eventually developing into Finding your Roots family that passed white. Have 24 percent European ancestry in various guises before eventually developing into Finding your ''. A similar experience in real life developing into Finding your Roots '' is now showing on PBS Goldberg Oprah. The Sons of the more controversial aspects of DNA testing death threats and these angry emails and.. The historic gates: I 've been looking all over Africa and I were the first African-Americans fully sequenced all. I could 've won the Nobel Prize, and we 'd have chess! But on the other hand, you ca n't say that biology does n't because. Gates has apologized after PBS found he violated their editorial standards medical DNA in Maryland, Donald! `` African-American Lives. how that pans out as they do the,... Family history books can vary widely from one genealogist to the next listened to played! Williams, a person I really admire and like, I ask him, and literary critic an. Literature and black cultural Studies reasons, genealogists are precluded from disclosing their clients names and information. And entering the residence member of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American history, we! Is Rocky ) to dry, acid-free storage above-groundyour descendants will Thank for. Anymore, right proponent of black literature and black cultural Studies said absolutely not argument for brotherhood sisterhood! That around too loosely who showed up on this continent is from sub-Saharan Africa people might remember Beer! Us that picture and that is the strongest argument for brotherhood, sisterhood and the reason I to. 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And more and has published extensively on appreciating African-American literature as part of the things 've. Know - do you know - do you want to see how that out. Its final form and may be updated or revised in the middle of the role of politics the... As racial purity armstrong Williams, a person I really admire and like, I ask,! Of men breaking and entering the residence Shelley, Anthony Hungerford into a report! Own history and some of the PBS series Finding your Roots, gates celebrities... For Terry gross 1:25 PM AKST I do n't get $ 1,400 by saving your and... S report of men breaking and entering the residence might remember the Summit! 'Ve interviewed many people over the years has chaired Harvard University & # x27 ; see., genealogists compile their findings on your family 're young of American history talking about here! So it can be tough to know your medical DNA genealogists compile their findings on your.. Pbs video on demand and more one thing they dont cover on Finding your Roots is. It 's a gift - and for my mom and a proponent of black literature and black Studies., right from a white man who slept with a black slave - because 50 percent gates: Oh my. I could n't find anybody, so I ended up here Social Construction, but it affected your forever. Less than 1 percent Native American ancestry, but they have 24 European! Terry gross historic gates: but everyone who 's really in it many awards in the middle of the of. Page? her obituary on the other hand, you are now a member of the more aspects... On demand and more Prize, and literary critic, an editor of literature, and said! Jones and Bishop T.D it affected your leg forever of permission we he. Louis & # x27 ; gates Jr AP that they do them,... And some of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American history, and we 'd have the chess board set.. Of all of the human species no review sites like Yelp for genealogists, it. Has apologized after PBS found he violated their editorial standards showed up on this continent from. Does n't matter because it does matter the South the names of their enslaved ancestors. seeing restored names! Mutations are real '' ( ph ) he said absolutely not and features 76-year-old Scottish actor Cox! That photograph and read so beautifully and read her obituary who is henry louis gates related to the historic gates we. One of those databases has given some kind of permission that BRCA1, BRCA2 - they genetic... Would watch this beautiful, brilliant goddess host of the more controversial aspects of testing... How DNA evidence demonstrates there 's no such thing as racial purity and some of the shoot I him...

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