Finding Your Roots 2012
What is Finding Your Roots?
The television series "Finding Your Roots" is a documentary series hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. that explores the ancestry of its guests.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 2012
- Status
- Returning Series
- Episodes
- 126
- Runtime
- 60 minutes
- First aired
- Mar 24, 2012
- Last aired
- Apr 14, 2026
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- PBS
- Genres
- Documentary
- Updated
Where to watch
Stream
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Thirteen
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 126 episodes and an average 60-minute runtime.
Trailer
Overview
The television series "Finding Your Roots" is a documentary series hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. that explores the ancestry of its guests. In each episode, Professor Gates utilizes a team of genealogists to reconstruct the paper trail left behind by our ancestors and the world's leading geneticists to decode our DNA. This allows the guests to travel thousands of years into the past and discover the origins of their earliest forebears. The series features a diverse range of guests, including celebrities, who are presented with a "book of life" compiled with information researched by professional genealogists. The show is hosted by a noted Harvard scholar and has been well-received by audiences.
Should you watch it?
“Henry Louis Gates Jr. guides guests through the hidden histories of their ancestral family trees.”
- combines genealogical research with genetic science
- offers deep historical context
- focuses primarily on individual family histories
Watch it if you are interested in genealogy and the scientific study of human ancestry.
The series features historical discussions that may include sensitive topics related to ancestral origins.
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Cast
Episode guide
Spoiler-Safe Browsing Progress
Season 1 · 10 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide & lore primer →- E1 Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick, Jr. Mytharc Mar 24, 2012
- E2 John Lewis and Cory Booker Core Mar 24, 2012
- E3 Barbara Walters and Geoffrey Canada Core Apr 1, 2012
- E4 Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon Core Apr 7, 2012
- E5 Rick Warren, Angela Buchdahl and Yasir Qadhi Core Apr 14, 2012
- E6 Robert Downey, Jr. and Maggie Gyllenhaal Core Apr 28, 2012
- E7 Samuel L. Jackson, Condoleezza Rice and Ruth Simmons Core Apr 29, 2012
- E8 Martha Stewart, Margaret Cho and Sanjay Gupta Core May 6, 2012
- E9 John Legend and Wanda Sykes Mytharc May 13, 2012
- E10 Adrian Grenier, Michelle Rodriguez and Linda Chavez Mytharc May 20, 2012
Season 2 · 10 episodes
- E1 In Search of our Fathers Mytharc Sep 23, 2014
- E2 Born Champions Core Sep 30, 2014
- E3 Our American Storytellers Core Oct 7, 2014
- E4 Roots of Freedom Core Oct 14, 2014
- E5 The Melting Pot Core Oct 21, 2014
- E6 We Come From People Core Oct 28, 2014
- E7 Our People, Our Traditions Core Nov 4, 2014
- E8 The British Invasion Core Nov 11, 2014
- E9 Ancient Roots Mytharc Nov 18, 2014
- E10 Decoding Our Past Through DNA Mytharc Nov 25, 2014
Season 3 · 10 episodes
- E1 The Stories We Tell Mytharc Jan 5, 2016
- E2 The Irish Factor Core Jan 12, 2016
- E3 In Search Of Freedom Core Jan 19, 2016
- E4 Tragedy + Time = Comedy Core Jan 26, 2016
- E5 Visionaries Core Feb 2, 2016
- E6 War Stories Core Feb 9, 2016
- E7 Family Reunions Mytharc Feb 16, 2016
- E8 The Pioneers Core Feb 23, 2016
- E9 The Long Way Home Mytharc Mar 1, 2016
- E10 Maps of Stars Mytharc Mar 8, 2016
Season 4 · 10 episodes
- E1 The Impression Mytharc Oct 2, 2017
- E2 Unfamiliar Kin Core Oct 10, 2017
- E3 Puritans and Pioneers Core Oct 17, 2017
- E4 The Vanguard Core Oct 24, 2017
- E5 Immigrant Nation Core Oct 31, 2017
- E6 Black Like Me Core Nov 7, 2017
- E7 Children of the Revolution Core Nov 14, 2017
- E8 Relatives We Never Knew We Had Core Nov 21, 2017
- E9 Southern Roots Mytharc Dec 12, 2017
- E10 Funny Business Mytharc Dec 19, 2017
Season 5 · 10 episodes
- E1 Grandparents and Other Strangers Mytharc Jan 8, 2019
- E2 Mystery Men Core Jan 15, 2019
- E3 Reporting on the Reporters Core Jan 22, 2019
- E4 Dreaming of a New Land Core Jan 29, 2019
- E5 Freedom Tales Core Feb 5, 2019
- E6 Roots in Politics Core Feb 12, 2019
- E7 No Laughing Matter Mytharc Feb 19, 2019
- E8 Hard Times Core Feb 26, 2019
- E9 The Eye of the Beholder Mytharc Apr 2, 2019
- E10 All in the Family Mytharc Apr 9, 2019
Frequently asked questions
Who hosts the series?
The series is hosted by Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
What methods are used to research ancestry?
The show utilizes a team of genealogists to trace paper trails and geneticists to analyze DNA.
What is the goal of the show?
The goal is to help guests discover long-lost relatives and the origins of their earliest forebears.
Does the show explore ancient history?
Yes, the use of DNA analysis allows the show to explore ancestry dating back thousands of years.
Who participates in the research?
The research is conducted by a team of professional genealogists and leading geneticists.