Their European immigrant ancestors blazed unconventional trails in America, from capturing British ships for the American Revolution to crossing racial barriers in slave-era Louisiana.

Finding Your Roots

Harry Connick, Jr./Branford Marsalis

This program features two African-American politicians from different generations and opposite backgrounds.

Cory Booker/John Lewis

What's in a name? Well, a lot, at least when it comes to piecing together family history.

Barbara Walters/Geoffrey Canada

Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are both famous actors and both descend from prominent American families that have been in this country since its inception. They both have ancestors who were early opponents of slavery.

Kevin Bacon/Kyra Sedgwick

Pastor Rick Warren, Rabbi Angela Buchdahl and Sheik Yasir Qadhi — clerics of three different faiths — all have complex family histories that profoundly shaped their religious beliefs.

Angela Buchdahl/Rick Warren/Yasir Qadhi

Many Americans descend from a variety of European ethnicities, with ancestral roots across every country in Europe.

Maggie Gyllenhaal/Robert Downey, Jr.

Samuel L. Jackson, Condoleezza Rice and Brown University president, Ruth Simmons, have each climbed to the pinnacle of their profession, yet each started life as a second-class citizen in the Jim Crow south.

Samuel L. Jackson/Condoleezza Rice/Ruth Simmons

The three guests in this episode are all children of first- or second-generation immigrants and share the peculiar burdens of that heritage.

Sanjay Gupta/Margaret Cho/Martha Stewart

Most African Americans struggle to trace their ancestors beyond Emancipation; slavery erased names and family ties with brutal efficiency. What about the descendants of the few free black people who evaded bondage during that terrible time?

John Legend/Wanda Sykes/Margarett Cooper

Michelle Rodriguez, Adrian Grenier and Linda Chavez all share Spanish colonial roots, yet each views their own identity very differently.

Michelle Rodriguez/Adrian Grenier/Linda Chavez

Pluto

Trace three guests' roots into the heart of slavery, revealing that there is no singular narrative and challenging preconceptions of an era that shaped our nation's sense of itself. Featuring Nas, Angela Bassett, and Valerie Jarrett.

We Come From People

Three guests who know almost nothing about their fathers' histories—featuring Stephen King, Courtney Vance, and Gloria Reuben.

In Search of Our Fathers

Three of America's greatest athletes, whose determination and love of sports were deeply shaped by their families, were all cut off from their true origins. Featuring Billie Jean King, Derek Jeter, and Rebecca Lobo.

Born Champions

Three iconic American storytellers who have spent their lives chronicling the lives of others, all the while knowing almost nothing about their own family history, are featured -- Ken Burns, Anderson Cooper, and Anna Deavere Smith.

Our American Storytellers

Three celebrity chefs who cook the food of their ancestors discover family members who have shaped their lives — and America's cuisine. Featuring Tom Colicchio, Ming Tsai, and Aaron Sanchez.

The Melting Pot

Learn about the ancestors of three celebrated Americans who not only share a Jewish heritage, but also history of perseverance. Featuring Tony Kushner, Carole King, and Alan Dershowitz.

Our People, Our Traditions

Sally Field learns that she descends from a colonial leader, Deepak Chopra learns of his family's pledge of loyalty to the British, and Sting's finds ancestors who built merchant ships.

The British Invasion

Trace the histories of these three guests whose backgrounds of involve Greece. Featuring Tina Fey, David Sedaris, and George Stephanopoulos.

Ancient Roots

Cutting-edge DNA analysis reveals that the family trees of Deval Patrick, Jessica Alba, Valerie Jarrett and Henry Louis Gates Jr. contain a far more diverse range of cultures and races than what was previously thought.

Decoding Our Past

In sharing their stories, FINDING YOUR ROOTS uses every tool available, from cutting-edge DNA research to old-school genealogical sleuthing to reveal long-buried secrets.

S2 E6 We Come From People

Full Episodes

Season 2, 9 Episodes