Ep 2. Children of Exile

Children of Exile is the second episode of the eighth season of the PBS genealogy series Finding Your Roots. In this episode, host and Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. explores the ancestral roots of three renowned celebrities: Melissa McCarthy, Eric Stonestreet, and Issa Rae.

Melissa McCarthy is an American actress and comedian known for her roles in films such as Bridesmaids and Spy. Eric Stonestreet is also an American actor best known for his role in the hit TV sitcom Modern Family. Issa Rae is a writer and actress, known for her work on the TV series Insecure.

Through DNA testing and archival research, the show delves into the family histories of these three individuals and the impact of their ancestors’ experiences on their own lives. The episode’s title, Children of Exile, refers to the fact that all three guests have ancestors who were forced to leave their homelands and start anew in a foreign country.

The first segment of the episode focuses on Melissa McCarthy and her predominantly Irish heritage. Gates uncovers surprising details about her Irish ancestry, including the fact that her great-great-grandfather was a successful baker in County Cork. McCarthy is moved to tears when she learns about some of her ancestors’ struggles in Ireland, including a great-grandmother who was forced to flee her home during the Irish War of Independence.

Next up is Eric Stonestreet, who learns about his German roots and the complicated history of his family’s immigration to the United States. Gates helps Stonestreet fill in gaps in his family history, such as the fact that his great-grandfather was an orphan who was sent to the United States from Germany on a ship called the USS Pretoria. Stonestreet is intrigued to learn about his great-great-grandfather’s career as a landscape architect and his great-grandfather’s wartime service during World War I.

Finally, Issa Rae’s segment explores her Senegalese and Cameroon heritage, as well as her African American roots. Rae learns about the slave trade and the trauma it inflicted on her ancestors, as well as the resilience and strength of those who survived and went on to build new lives for themselves. She also discovers relatives who were surprisingly close to her, both geographically and in terms of shared life experiences.

The episode contextualizes each guest’s ancestral history within broader historical and cultural frameworks. For example, the show explores the Great Famine in Ireland, the German American Bund, and the Senegalese resistance to European colonization. Gates also touches on contemporary social issues related to ethnicity and identity, such as the challenges faced by mixed-race individuals and the complex legacies of colonialism.

Overall, Children of Exile is a poignant and illuminating exploration of how our family histories shape who we are. The episode highlights the importance of understanding our roots and the impact of history on our lives.