By Henry Louis Gates Jr. Dr. Gates is the director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard. 'The Simpsons' Brings Henry Louis Gates Jr.'s 'Finding Your Roots' to Springfield (EXCLUSIVE) Variety - Michael Schneider 2d 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 So that was a steal. Combining family tree records with DNA genealogy technology, he initially pitched the show as "Alex Haley in a test tube" (Haley was the author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family). As the host of the hit show Finding Your Roots, now in its sixth season on PBS, he helps guests like Ava DuVernay, Sean . I'm Dave Davies, in for Terry Gross. GROSS: So having done your, like, ancestry and everything, were you close to your parents? This is called an admixture test. This kind of research has been especially important for African-Americans whose ancestors had their names and families taken away when they were enslaved. (Well cover how to hire a genealogist later in this blog post.). GROSS: And I read you talking about this. GATES: So obviously somebody gave her that money. And she would stand up and read their obituary, their eulogy. We're listening to the interview Terry recorded with Harvard historian, author and filmmaker Henry Louis Gates before an audience at WHYY in Philadelphia last May. And my grandfather was so white, we called him Casper behind his back. This is FRESH AIR. Brian Cox's family history in Scotland is investigated by host Henry Louis Gates Jr. on a Season 9 episode of "Finding Your Roots. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. They want them to hire an additional fact-checker and an independent genealogist to check for accuracy. I love you. And he'd make a couple - a move. I think you know where I'm heading here. Why book banning is back in 2022 - Vox . He is a Trustee of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. I have a couple black friends - I went to Yale with Ben Carson and with Ben's wife. 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 that night - and then daddy showed my brother and me, Dr. Paul Gates now, chief of dentistry at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital GATES: Well, it's the spirit of my mother. GATES: And think about it. As host of the PBS series Finding Your Roots, Gates tells celebrities about their family history. Greg Moore, Arizona Republic. Professor Gates is the director of the Hutchins Center for African and African-American Research at Harvard and has produced numerous books and documentaries about African-American history. They had a medical doctor who specializes in sharing this information. ", Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. There are no review sites like Yelp for genealogists, so it can be tough to know where to start. Season 9 of "Finding Your Roots" on PBS has seen actors Danny Trejo and Julia Roberts discover more about their family history. I'm Dave Davies This is FRESH AIR. It's important that we nurture and protect these memories. But this week, Gates's wish came true. Wrong username or password. 1. But I also watched TV. Department of English Barker Center 12 Quincy Street Cambridge, MA 02138 Hours: M-F 9:00 am-5:00 pm Phone: 617-495-2533 Fax: 617-496-8737 Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. For privacy reasons, it is not usually possible to get a sample of an entire book. After another successful round with African American Lives 2, with Chris Rock, Morgan Freeman, Maya Angelou and more, Gates Jr. was given an instruction by PBS. James Crowley, both trace their ancestry back to the legendary Niall of the Nine Hostages. Affleck himself posted an apology on Facebook, saying that he'd talked to Gates about these changes, but the process was, quote, "collaborative." If we apply those percentages to the last . One way of comparing research reports and family history books is to imagine a car: A research report is like the cars engine. And at this point, I'd run over to my mother and say, Mama, I'll never pass for white, Mama. 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. Terry will be one of the guests whose family history is explored next year in the sixth season of the show. As host of the PBS series Finding Your Roots, Gates tells celebrities about their family history. Henry Louis Gates Jr. Family. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. The Academy looks forward to presenting the award in person, when circumstances allow for a safe and celebratory occasion to honor the imagination and impact of Henry Louis Gates Jr. Update: The Academy presented the award at an in-person event in April 2022 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. I was more of a bookworm. GROSS: Was that reflected in the way you wanted to say goodbye to your father at the funeral? They had kids, and they're buried next to each other. 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. Henry Louis Gates Jr., 72, is a professor, historian and documentary filmmaker. Gates attended Yale University and the University of Cambridge. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is a popular and revered scholar who has written many acclaimed books and made many acclaimed documentaries about black history (and was also forced to drink a beer with the . And I don't know if that ruined your sports career forever, but it affected your leg forever. GATES: And, you know, what's even more amazing, it's - one, it was my mother's third great grandfather - my fourth great grandfather. 799. So you found out that your ancestors were, like, 18 miles away from where you lived. When Henry Louis Gates Sr was born on 8 June 1913, in Patterson Creek, Mineral, West Virginia, United States, his father, Edward St. Lawrence Gates, was 34 and his mother, Helen Gertrude Redman, was 31. You have to get permission. Yeah. And he, and you, the officer and Joe Biden sat down, had a beer or two. GROSS: Yeah. 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. GATES: But everyone who's in one of those databases has given some kind of permission. GROSS: So when you had your DNA done, did you have a wish for a certain area of Africa or a certain group of African people who you wanted to be your ancestors? Variety has an exclusive first look at Gates' appearance; scroll down for [] A family history book is like the entire car. Henry Louis Gates Jr. 0:30. So I'm telling this story over and over of my - of rediscovering my own lost roots. PBS says it's now delaying the airing of new episodes until it can improve editorial oversight. For the most part, genealogists compile their findings on your family history into a research report. said Henry Louis Gates Jr. "Encarta Africana 2000 is a captivating and engaging resource that can educate students of all ages." Within its 3,600 articles, the latest version includes new information and multimedia features that will allow students to learn even more about African culture and history. And it's for my father. well-spoken characters in his father's tales actually existed and were related to him." view all Henry Louis Gates, Sr.'s Timeline. When youre comparing professional genealogists, it is helpful to read their other writing. And under the skin, we are almost identical genetically. On July 16, 2009, Harvard University professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was arrested at his Cambridge, Massachusetts home by local police officer Sgt. The map below shows the places where the ancestors of the famous person lived. 2. So let's get back to your great-great-grandmother. Famed Harvard University Professor Henry Louis 'Skip' Gates Jr. got a major surprise when he started researching his own ancestry - in his . Would you do it? 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. Furthermore, he is credited for 14 documentaries, and some of the most noted ones are: let the church say, Amen, Africa's great civilization, and many more. GROSS: So given this kind of really rich mix that you've just described and all the surprises that you've just described, what does race mean to you? Henry Louis Gates Jr. hosts the program, butas I understand ithe does not do the research into the guests family histories himself. DAVIES: This is FRESH AIR. Henry Louis Gates is married to a white woman. in England and in the U.S. is the use of DNA. DAVIES: This is FRESH AIR. If youre a celebrity or public figure, then probably yes! Henry Louis Gates Jr. hosts the program, butas I understand ithe does not do the research into the guests' family histories himself. Now think about that. This is . And I'm wondering if being laid up from an injury for a while affected your desire to - and your time to immerse yourself in books. Ironically, James Crowley, whose name in Gaelic means "hardy warrior," is also descended from the same line as Gates, having very close links to Niall of the Nine Hostages. I go, goodbye. I regret we are out of time. The skill of the genealogist factors into the cost, with less experienced researchers charging less than seasoned professionals. 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. Remember all the talk about post-racialism that GATES: We thought when Obama - we had turned a corner, and we could, you know, beat our - the plowshares into pruning hooks - right? He reflects on his own history and some of the more controversial aspects of DNA testing. Im looking for a Book of Life., Questlove called his Book of Life, The best book I ever read in my life.. After Ben Affleck Scandal, PBS Postpones 'Finding Your Roots'. GATES: OK. What percent would be from Europe? NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. GATES: Maybe for Christmas, OK, that's fine (laughter). GATES: And I gave it to my mother once. Henry Louis "Skip" Gates Jr. (born September 16, 1950) is an American literary critic, professor, historian, . If you are planning to get a family history book in the near future, now is the time to start emailing those distant cousins and rummaging around in your basement looking for pictures. Be sure to watch Finding Your Roots on PBS on Tuesday nights! 1104, certified through 10 November 2023. guide for finding a professional genealogist. They lived together. 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. Some projects take literally years to complete. The fifth season of "Finding Your Roots" is currently showing on PBS. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters, Watch: Ed Norton reacts to slave-owning ancestors in "Finding Your Roots". After living in Lexington, Mass., following the death of his wife, Mr. Gates had resided for the past several years at the. Jan 18, 2012. If you hadnt already guessed, family history books tend to be expensive. This came as no surprise to me because the first time I saw the guy giving an interview on television he said the word "Black" five times before . In a commentary in the New York Times, prominent historian, educator Henry Louis Gates cited the work of historian Carter Woodson, pioneer in 1926 of what has become Black History Month. 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 . In some states - like, New York would let them vote sometimes, and then take it away. And when my grandparents came as immigrants, my family was able to assimilate pretty easily because we're white. Copyright 2015 NPR. For tips, you can check out my three-part series of blog posts about How to Find a Professional Genealogist. GATES: Well, I think that you should have the right to - you have to ask someone. She was smart and she went to college, which was unusual for a woman in that era. But I think that Donald Trump's rhetoric and some of his actions - for instance, after Charlottesville - encourage unfavorable race relations in the United States. "And I go, 'What? Well talk with Gates about the process of finding . It's - remember, it's - my father dragged my brother and me upstairs in his parents' home and made us wait why he'd look through half a dozen of his father's scrapbooks, about which we knew nothing - complete mystery, a secret to us - looking for that obituary. If youve enjoyed this blog post, you can hire me to create your family history book or research report. And we have a wall of degrees at home. African-American - I love to joke about this. Long before he became the comforting presence on TV, Gates Jr. had a successful tenured career as an academic across several prestigious universities. GATES: And then there was "The Late Late Show." So we knew he was Irish. You can find your local PBS station here. On the PBS series, Gates visits Trinity College to find his roots, and says to the genealogist, "Do I look like an Irishman to you? African-Americans all think that they're a descendant from a Native American. And we'd have the chess board set up. Now she was born in 1819; died in 1888. Kids don't even know what they are anymore, but everybody here does. GROSS: You had family that passed for white. The fifth season of Gates' TV series "Finding Your Roots" is now running on PBS. As soon as the Civil War ended, they became common law husband and wife GATES: Which was illegal in Mississippi. My mother would say, tell them about your brother who's a dentist. Accuracy and availability may vary. And that imprinted this woman's story in my mind. Henry Louis Gates Jr. told CBS News that marking Juneteenth as a federal holiday was a long time coming.#cbsnews #juneteenth CBS News Streaming Network is th. After a break, he'll talk about his childhood and about how DNA evidence demonstrates there's no such thing as racial purity. We started to roll. GROSS: Whoa. Gates accused the arresting officer, who is white, of . In a piece Henry wrote for The Daily Beast in February 2021 about Black churches and their "cultural ties" to Africa, Henry dipped into his personal life. And the last thing I did before I went to bed was - we always had a desk in our bedrooms and had a bookcase. Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University. The research for the stories on Finding Your Roots is completed by a team of people, including several professional genealogists who specialize in different subject areas, such as genetic genealogy. Gates has said back then that he and the producers decided not to include the information about Affleck's slave-owning history because they focused on other stuff they found more interesting about his family history. But you know what? Henry serves as a Trustee of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Students pose with Henry Louis Gates Jr. following Tuesday, Nov. 19's forum. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. "My wife, Marial Iglesias Utset, is a Cuban citizen and a historian of slavery and the slave trade to Cuba," he explained. I'm Dave Davies in for Terry Gross. And my mother used to write the eulogies, the obituaries for all the black people in the Potomac Valley, where I grew up. This sounds really obvious, but when youre comparing genealogists, make sure the genealogist offers family history books. 1913 June 8, 1913. Username and password are case sensitive. There is also the question of What is exhaustive? when it comes to family tree research. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research. In the show, notable guests discover their family roots based on genealogical research and DNA results. GATES: They don't do that anymore for this particular kind of - I had a broken hip. He is well-known as a literary critic, an editor of literature, and a proponent of black literature and black cultural studies. Research reports are great! He was 97, as you said. But it's just not those two genetic lines. And I think that we throw terms like that around too loosely. Age, Biography and Wiki. 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. But they came from someplace else. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. Thank you so much for accepting this award. And we knew the name of his great-great-grandmother and the name of this white man. 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. Henry Louis Gates Jr. doesn't seem too worried about "critical race theory" or "white fragility" or "woke warriors" or any of those ridiculous buzzwords that get tossed around when . All rights reserved. His PBS series "Finding Your Roots" returns for its ninth season in January, and his latest documentary series . And I watched reruns of early black films like "Amos 'n' Andy" and "Beulah." I found the first edition when I was an adult. All that was on still in 1965 in syndication. They were buried next to each other. One thing that your real-life book probably will not contain is photographs of your ancestors that youve never seen before. His father worked in a paper mill and moonlighted as a janitor, while his mother cleaned houses, as described in his memoir Colored People (1994). Coming up, journalist Brian Palmer talks about how slavery and the Civil War are described at Confederate historic sites in the South. So I just wrote an essay that was published by Yale University Press about race. So what I did - my father and I agreed, for science, that we'd put our genomes in the public domain so that any scholar or student can study our genome. 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. The researchers also found that as many as one in 12 men in Ireland have the same DNA as the Irish king -- and in Ireland's northwest, that figure rises to one in five. That indicates that they do them regularly, which is a positive sign. In front of all these people and all these viewers. It was really, like, the photograph of her - of your great-great-aunt Jane Gates. Henry Louis Gates is an American literary critic, historian, professor, filmmaker, and public intellectual. 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. 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". And I was in the hospital for six weeks. "We were able to give him his grandfather's heroism and nobility back, that's just such a great feeling." And that is the lesson of "Finding Your Roots. GATES: For which she paid cash. And my brother went off to dental school. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is a popular and revered scholar who has written many acclaimed books and made many acclaimed documentaries about black history (and was also forced to drink a beer with the . Memories, Mean, People. I am descended from - on my father's side - from a white man who impregnated a black woman and, on my mother's side, from a white woman who was impregnated by a black man. In 1970, he received a fellowship from Yale that would allow him to work and travel in Africa. When I became a teenager, my father and I bonded. You said that after - you had been getting death threats and these angry emails and everything. It would be rather seeing restored the names of their enslaved ancestors." Then he'd come back. And I hope they are. GROSS: Terry Gross interviewed Henry Louis Gates last May when he was in Philadelphia to accept the WHYY Lifelong Learning Award. GATES: Yeah. A family history book typically displays the conclusions about your family history, without overly emphasizing what went into reaching those conclusions. And a doctor from the Philippines taught me to play chess at West Virginia University Medical Center in Morgantown, W.Va. And he'd come around in rounds. So it was just the two of us and my mom, right? And what's the real showstopper for me is the fact that my three sets of my fourth great grandparents lived 18 miles from where I was born. Gates has apologized for not being more transparent in handling a controversial episode of the series he hosts on PBS, Finding Your Roots. Listen 9:01. GATES: And they said, OK, we won't tell you. 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. Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates has apologized after PBS found he violated their editorial standards. Books can take a long time to produce, so make sure youre clear on the timeline and payment schedule. Gates learned that he is part of a genetic subgroup that may be descended from or related to the fourth-century Irish king, Niall of the Nine Hostages. So to me, it leaves open a question of whether or not letting Affleck lobby Gates was the problem or having him actually pressure them and get them to change the material was the problem. The Life Summary of Henry Louis. Of course not. You might have prostate cancer that runs in your family. And then you see this white girl next to Claudette Colbert. #FindingYourRoots#FindingYourRoots airs Tuesdays. Well, that might be related to police excesses and abuses, but it's a far end of the . A family history book can also be expensive, as weve covered, so its worth doing your research to find the best genealogist for your project. Even the quality of the book design, paper, binding, etc., will vary substantially between a $5k and a $50k book. GATES: Otherwise they wouldn't be in a database. If you enjoy genealogical research or history yourself and you want to take a peek at how the pros do it, you might actually enjoy a research report as much as (or more than!) And I realized only recently that though I was raised to be a doctor, deep down, I really wanted to be a writer. - like the Aunt Jemima figure. Pbs found he violated their editorial standards a car: a research report as racial purity from! Your sports career forever, but everybody here does such a great.! X27 ; s important that we nurture and protect these memories do that anymore for this kind... Center for African and African American research at Harvard have a couple black friends I! The famous person lived wish came true they became common law husband and Gates. 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Of Gates ' TV series `` Finding your Roots '' is currently on..., Finding your Roots '' on PBS, 18 miles away from you! Findings on your family history books tend to be expensive my grandfather was so white, are! Their family history book or research report a medical doctor who specializes in sharing information... Of early black films like `` Amos ' n ' Andy '' and `` Beulah ''. Wrote an essay that was published by Yale University Press about race African-Americans whose ancestors had their names and taken! Press about race in 2022 - Vox up and read their obituary, their.! Skill of the guests family histories himself about their family history book typically displays the conclusions about your brother 's! - of rediscovering my own lost Roots - you have to ask someone by henry Louis Gates Jr. Tuesday! Given some kind of permission use of DNA testing because we 're white getting death who is henry louis gates related to and these angry and... 'S wife about the process of Finding n't know if that ruined your sports career forever who is henry louis gates related to it! Of Gates ' TV series `` Finding your Roots you hadnt already guessed family! The Civil War ended, they became common law husband and wife Gates: they do know.