Top 10 Emotional Reveals in Finding Your Roots

Actress Pamela Adlon went on “Finding Your Roots” in 2022 to validate a long-held rumor in her family: that her mother was the product of an extramarital affair. Through an arduous research process, the show ultimately confirmed that the rumor was indeed right. Adlon discovered that her actual grandfather was not the man she had known all her life; instead, it was someone else named Joseph Walthew. Further investigation revealed that Walthew had another daughter named Gloria, who shared a 25% DNA match with Adlon’s mother, making them half-sisters. Remarkably, Gloria was found to still be alive and well. Adlon was overwhelmed by this revelation and could not contain her excitement to share the news with her mother.

Claire Danes was named after her paternal grandmother when she was born, but beyond that, she didn’t know much about the other Claire Danes. On a 2023 episode of “Finding Your Roots,” Danes discovered that she and her grandmother shared so much in common. It turned out that her grandmother, like herself, was deeply involved in theater, directing local productions and even writing her master’s thesis on William Shakespeare. This connection was particularly poignant for Danes who had her breakthrough role in the 1996 film adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” After years of wondering about her grandmother’s life, learning about their shared passion was enough to bring Danes to tears.

The horrors of slavery will forever be agonizing regardless of how many times they are recounted. For actress Tamera Mowry, it was particularly distressing to find out about the harrowing ordeal suffered by her third great-grandmother, Margaret Rolle, who was born into slavery in the Bahamas. At a mere nine years of age, Rolle was already listed in an official document as a field laborer, a reality that was incomprehensible to Mowry. The actress was further overcome with emotion as she contemplated the unimaginable journey her ancestor was left to endure to attain freedom following the abolition of slavery.

Although African-Americans trace their origins to individuals forcibly brought from Africa, it is rare to find people who were directly born on the continent in their family lineage. This is because by the time African-Americans were first identified by name in the 1870 federal census, most of those born in Africa had already passed away. One of such rare cases occurred with actor Sterling K. Brown. On “Finding Your Roots,” Brown discovered that his fifth great-grandparents were among the few native-born Africans who were still alive when the census took place. While their exact country of birth was not specified on the document, the revelation still had a profound impact on Brown.

The third great-grandfather of actress and director Regina King was a man named Bob Kane, who was born into slavery. At a very young age, Kane was treated like a piece of property, passed among the family members who enslaved him. Reflecting on such a harsh reality compared with her own life at the same age brought King to tears. Her sorrow eventually turned to joy when she learned that after slavery ended and voting rights were granted to formerly enslaved people, Kane immediately registered to vote. Despite being unable to read or write at the time, Kane was determined to exercise this fundamental right, which filled King with immense happiness.

Scarlett Johansson’s roots trace back to Poland and Russia, with her maternal ancestors migrating to New York City in the early 20th century. Although Johansson had prior knowledge of this ancestry, it was on “Finding Your Roots” that she uncovered the fate of her relatives who remained in Europe. Her maternal great-grandfather, Saul Schlamberg, had a brother named Moishe, whom he left behind in Grojec, Poland. Through a document retrieved from the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum in Israel, Johansson discovered that Moishe and some of his children lost their lives in the Warsaw Ghetto. This revelation not only made her cry, but it admittedly also helped her to consider her heritage in a new way.

“Roots” actor LeVar Burton indeed found out more about his roots when he appeared on the show in 2024. For 23 years, Burton hosted the educational series “Reading Rainbow” on PBS, becoming an advocate for children’s literacy. On “Finding Your Roots,” Burton discovered that his passion for education, which he once attributed solely to his mother, may have also come from the ancestors of his father, from whom he had been estranged for decades. A 1940 Arkansas census document revealed that both his grandfather, Aaron C. Burton, and great-grandfather, Pearl B. Burton, served as school superintendents. This struck Burton profoundly, as he realized how deeply his family’s legacy had influenced his own advocacy, despite not being aware of it initially.

The ancestors of actor David Duchovny faced an arduous journey from their homeland before establishing their roots in the U.S. Upon learning that his grandfather, Moshe, was born in Russia, Duchovny was immediately brought to tears. He further discovered that Moshe and his family were part of about one million Jews who left Russia to escape anti-Semitic violence. However, even after moving to Jaffa, in present-day Israel, the discrimination continued, and they were eventually deported to Egypt. Moshe and his father ultimately sailed to the United States, and settled in New York. Their resilience in seeking a better home and securing a stable future for their descendants deeply touched Duchovny and left him with a sense of pride.

Before the Civil War, only a small fraction of Black people living in America were not enslaved. One of them was Wiley Wharton, who happens to be the third great-grandfather of comedian Tracy Morgan. This fact came to light because Wharton was listed by name in the 1860 census. For Morgan, the revelation that his ancestor didn’t have to endure being enslaved brought him a mixed feeling of relief and intense emotion. However, although Wharton was free, his wife, Judy, and their children were still in slavery. Fast forward a decade, after the practice had been abolished, records indicate that Wharton, Judy and their children all remained together, and learned to read and write.

Few African-Americans have gotten the opportunity to trace their enslaved ancestors. And even fewer are lucky enough to read their first-hand testimonies. In a 2021 episode of “Finding Your Roots,” acclaimed musician Pharrell Williams was introduced to his great-great-great-aunt Jane Arrington. Arrington was a participant in the Slave Narratives Project in the 1930s and provided a detailed account of her years spent living as an enslaved person. Through her words, Williams gained insight into her harrowing experiences, and was able to reflect on the hardships that she and many others like her were forced to endure. He also discovered that Arrington’s brother, Fenner Williams, his great-great-grandfather, spent the first decade of his life enslaved.

What other harrowing “Finding Your Roots” revelations did we miss? Trace them out in the comments below.