Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates Jr. (2010)

EndedDocumentary showHistory

Our American Stories exploring the dynamic and shifting relationship America had with her new immigrants in the 20th century. Becoming American - exploring the many journeys to becoming American that defined the "Century of Immigration" (1820s - 1924) and transformed the United States from a sleepy agrarian country into a booming industrial power. Making America - tells the story of the peopling of the New World, of how land came to define the settling and identity of America, and of how the guests' ancestors were part of this history. Know Thyself - takes up the search for the guests' ancestries where the historical record leaves off and links their distinctive family histories to the broader history of "the family of man".

Streaming

Watch Now

Network
Scheduleevery Wednesday at 20:00 (60 min)

Last Episode

Know Thyself
Season 1Episode 460 min

Know Thyself

Know Thyself takes up the search for the guests’ ancestries where the historical record leaves off and links their distinctive family histories to the broader history of “the family of man.” Combining the documented stories of some of the guests’ last known ancestors with DNA evidence, the series travel backward through time to reveal both distant relatives and surprising shared ancestral connections. Elizabeth Alexander learns that she is a direct descendent of Charlemagne, and that her paternal roots are not only European, but Jewish. Meryl Streep and Mike Nichols discover that they are distant cousins, as do Yo-Yo Ma and Eva Longoria. Interwoven with these stories and others is the journey of the host, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. as he and his father and brother undertake an historic project to have their entire genomes mapped, and thereby to learn everything they possibly can about their own family. This episode offers a compelling and thought-provoking meditation on the importance of ancestry, the meaning of family and the role of both in creating identity.
Mar 3, 2010

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S01E04Know ThyselfMar 3, 2010
S01E03Making AmericaFeb 24, 2010
S01E02Becoming AmericanFeb 17, 2010
S01E01Our American StoriesFeb 10, 2010
View all episodesView all seasons

Cast

Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Henry Louis Gates Jr.

plays himself
View all cast

Characters

Host

Host

played by Henry Louis Gates Jr.
View all characters

Also known as

  • Faces of America

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
IT: Welcome to Derry
Running

IT: Welcome to Derry

Taking place in the ‘60s, the show explores the origins of the curse that would haunt the small Maine town for the next 27 years — as well as the origin story of Pennywise the Clown.

GenreDrama, Horror
Days of Our Lives
Running

Days of Our Lives

Days of our Lives is set in the fictitious Midwestern town of Salem. The core families are the Bradys, the Hortons and the DiMeras, and the multi-layered storylines involve elements of romance, adventure, mystery, comedy and drama.

Beginning on September 12, 2022, DAYS became exclusive to streaming on Peacock.

GenreDrama, Family, Romance
Press Your Luck
Running

Press Your Luck

A game of wits, strategy and high stakes as contestants try to avoid the iconic WHAMMY for a chance at life-changing cash and prizes.

Gogglebox Australia
Running

Gogglebox Australia

Gogglebox Australia is based on the U.K. smash hit of the same name and is a weekly observational series which captures the reactions of ordinary Australians as they watch the news, argue over politics, cheer their favourite sporting teams and digest current affairs and documentaries. Ten chosen households will be rigged with special cameras to capture every unpredictable moment.

Robot Chicken
Running

Robot Chicken

Robot Chicken uses stop-motion animation to bring pop-culture parodies to life in a modern take on the variety/sketch show format.

GenreComedy, Science-Fiction
* This is an affiliate link. If you click and purchase, we will receive a commission from the provider. This will not incur any additional costs for you and you will support our project. We thank you for your support!