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Finding Your Roots

Moving On Up

Season 11 Episode 9

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. meets actor Sheryl Lee Ralph and historian Lonnie Bunch—two African Americans whose ancestors broke boundaries as they moved from slavery to freedom. Traveling from plantations in the south to cities in the north, Gates uses his detective skills to piece together the lives of women and men who survived unimaginable ordeals—and emerged to forge thriving families.

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DNA analysis challenges guests’ ideas about their family’s history and their identities.
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Trace the histories of Tina Fey, David Sedaris and George Stephanopoulos.
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Explore the British influence in the lives of Deepak Chopra, Sally Field and Sting.
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Examine the Jewish heritage of Alan Dershowitz, Carole King and Tony Kushner.
We Come from People
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Trace the roots of Nas, Angela Bassett and Valerie Jarrett into the heart of slavery.
The Melting Pot
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Three chefs cook the food of their ancestors.
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Learn about the lives of the forebears of Ken Burns, Anderson Cooper & Anna Deavere Smith.
Born Champions
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Examine the ancestral origins of athletes Derek Jeter, Billie Jean King and Rebecca Lobo.
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Uncover the paternal ancestry of Stephen King, Gloria Reuben and Courtney B. Vance.
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