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
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video with AdsFree
HooplaBuy
Apple TV Store
Stream
PBS
PBS Documentaries Amazon Channel
PBS Living Amazon Channel
Thirteen
WETA+Free
HooplaPBSWETA+With ads
The Roku Channel
Pluto TV
Plex
KQEDBuy
Amazon VideoApple TV Store
Google Play Movies
Fandango At HomeStreaming availability data provided by JustWatch via TMDB. Availability changes by country and date; verify on the provider before subscribing or purchasing.
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.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about Finding Your Roots — answers are spoiler-safe.
Your verdict
Is Finding Your Roots worth watching?
Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 10 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick, Jr. Mar 24, 2012
- E2 John Lewis and Cory Booker Mar 24, 2012
- E3 Barbara Walters and Geoffrey Canada Apr 1, 2012
- E4 Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon Apr 7, 2012
- E5 Rick Warren, Angela Buchdahl and Yasir Qadhi Apr 14, 2012
- E6 Robert Downey, Jr. and Maggie Gyllenhaal Apr 28, 2012
- E7 Samuel L. Jackson, Condoleezza Rice and Ruth Simmons Apr 29, 2012
- E8 Martha Stewart, Margaret Cho and Sanjay Gupta May 6, 2012
- E9 John Legend and Wanda Sykes May 13, 2012
- E10 Adrian Grenier, Michelle Rodriguez and Linda Chavez May 20, 2012
Season 2 · 10 episodes
- E1 In Search of our Fathers Sep 23, 2014
- E2 Born Champions Sep 30, 2014
- E3 Our American Storytellers Oct 7, 2014
- E4 Roots of Freedom Oct 14, 2014
- E5 The Melting Pot Oct 21, 2014
- E6 We Come From People Oct 28, 2014
- E7 Our People, Our Traditions Nov 4, 2014
- E8 The British Invasion Nov 11, 2014
- E9 Ancient Roots Nov 18, 2014
- E10 Decoding Our Past Through DNA Nov 25, 2014
Season 3 · 10 episodes
- E1 The Stories We Tell Jan 5, 2016
- E2 The Irish Factor Jan 12, 2016
- E3 In Search Of Freedom Jan 19, 2016
- E4 Tragedy + Time = Comedy Jan 26, 2016
- E5 Visionaries Feb 2, 2016
- E6 War Stories Feb 9, 2016
- E7 Family Reunions Feb 16, 2016
- E8 The Pioneers Feb 23, 2016
- E9 The Long Way Home Mar 1, 2016
- E10 Maps of Stars Mar 8, 2016
Season 4 · 10 episodes
- E1 The Impression Oct 2, 2017
- E2 Unfamiliar Kin Oct 10, 2017
- E3 Puritans and Pioneers Oct 17, 2017
- E4 The Vanguard Oct 24, 2017
- E5 Immigrant Nation Oct 31, 2017
- E6 Black Like Me Nov 7, 2017
- E7 Children of the Revolution Nov 14, 2017
- E8 Relatives We Never Knew We Had Nov 21, 2017
- E9 Southern Roots Dec 12, 2017
- E10 Funny Business Dec 19, 2017
Season 5 · 10 episodes
- E1 Grandparents and Other Strangers Jan 8, 2019
- E2 Mystery Men Jan 15, 2019
- E3 Reporting on the Reporters Jan 22, 2019
- E4 Dreaming of a New Land Jan 29, 2019
- E5 Freedom Tales Feb 5, 2019
- E6 Roots in Politics Feb 12, 2019
- E7 No Laughing Matter Feb 19, 2019
- E8 Hard Times Feb 26, 2019
- E9 The Eye of the Beholder Apr 2, 2019
- E10 All in the Family 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.