Ep 9. Southern Roots

In "Southern Roots," the ninth episode of the fourth season of Finding Your Roots, host Henry Louis Gates Jr. explores the genealogies of three notable Southern Americans: media mogul Oprah Winfrey, actor Ava DuVernay, and political commentator Ta-Nehisi Coates. Gates delves into their family histories, uncovering ancestors who lived through some of the most significant moments in American history.

First, Gates investigates Winfrey's genealogy, tracing her roots to her grandmother, a formidable woman who owned her own farm in rural Mississippi. Along the way, Winfrey discovers that her ancestors include both enslaved people and slave owners, leading to a complex understanding of her family's history and her own identity.

Next, Gates works with DuVernay to trace her ancestors, leading them down a path to a small town in Louisiana where her great-grandparents lived. Along the way, they discover that DuVernay's ancestors were deeply involved in the Civil Rights movement, with several members of her family playing key roles in organizing protests and voter registration drives.

Finally, Gates helps Coates uncover his roots in the South, leading him to dig deeper into his family's history of migration and displacement. Coates learns that his ancestors were among the many Black Americans who left the South during the Great Migration, seeking a better life and fleeing the racism and violence of the Jim Crow era.

Throughout "Southern Roots," Gates is a masterful guide, illuminating the connections between his guests' family histories and the larger context of American history. With his characteristic blend of wit, sensitivity, and intellect, Gates helps Winfrey, DuVernay, and Coates uncover their family roots and grapple with the deeply complex questions of race, identity, and legacy that are at the heart of their stories.

Overall, "Southern Roots" is a powerful and thought-provoking episode of Finding Your Roots that offers insights into the lives of three remarkable individuals and the families that shaped them. With its focus on the South and its history, the episode sheds light on some of the most important and contested aspects of American identity and helps us all better understand the complicated legacy of our national past.