The Craziest & Most Shocking Reveals on Finding Your Roots

We've compiled some of the craziest, darkest, and most shocking reveals on PBS' Finding Your Roots. Our video includes the Top 20 Most Awkward Moments on Finding Your Roots, Top 20 Darkest Family Reveals on Finding Your Roots, Top 10 Funniest Moments on Finding Your Roots, and more. What do you think is the most memorable revelation on Finding Your Roots? Let us know in the comments.


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[MsMojo]

What do you think is the most memorable revelation on Finding Your Roots? Let us know in the comments!

[katmustea]

I appreciate the private conversations Mr Gates has when info is sensitive. Distinguishing himself from other shows that look to expose pain on camera.

[margieebe]

At 70 I found my full sister, amazing! We are so much alike!
We adore each other.
We were adopted out at birth. She is 2 years younger. Our whole lives we were 30 miles apart.

[VinzClorthokeymasterofGozer]

Mandy's was so emotional in one direction, and Pharrell's was so emotional in another direction. Both were palpable. It's so hard not to love Lavar's the most, just because he's so lovable.

[debbiefox]

I have told so many people how fantastic this show is. Many actors end up finding out that they are distantly related and didn't even know it. The Dr that is the host of this show is compassionate, nonjudgmental, honest, intelligent and so many more complementary words that i can't even think of. It's not just a look into these people's family lives and secrets it's also an amazing look at world history. It explores the realities of slavery, the civil war, the first settlers that came to America, the realities of America's Indigenous cultures, the great depression, and so many things that were swept under the rug with all the history books we were given in school. It also explores how peoples migrated from all over the world, world genocides, world military roles, etc. It's an absolutely fascinating show and we learned so much more than we ever learned in school or college. I highly recommend this show. It has about 11 seasons and is fantastic if you are looking for something to binge watch. There are so many episodes that it took us weeks to watch and we are retired.

[shelbybutler]

Not hilarious, but definitely shocking. My paternal grandmother was a college professor, heavily involved in educating her grandkids about other cultures, History, and the arts. When my grandfather died, and she sold the house to move in with my aunt, we found a metaphorical skeleton in the closet. We found a white hood and photos of my grandmother and her siblings riding in a KKK wagon, in the attic. Apparently her German-born father, my great grandfather, was a Grand Dragon of the KKK, in the early 1900's. Almost all of my cousins and I married people of different "races". She had never spoken about it- no one knew, but her. It is amazing to see a cycle broken by a single person, and a family take a totally new path, because of it.

[artisticescapism]

This is one of my absolute favorite shows! Thank you.

[Chefbriank]

I am a 65 year old Scottish American who's family came to New Jersey in 1740. They were Doctors and ministers for 3 generations. They served George Washington in the Revolution. I have always been a Democrat and my parents were heavily involved in support of the Civil Rights movement. My mother marched the Edmund - Pettis Bridge in Selma AL in 1970 in a ceremonial march with her Unitarian Church group. I learned 10 years ago That those first ancestors were in fact Slave Owners. This was very hard for me to cope with. Many people told me that it was mid 1700's when it was widely accepted and that has NEVER given me a second of peace. It was legal and no matter what anyone says now or said then it was moraly unacceptable in every way! I wake every day to be the solution to racism because of this and what my parents instilled in me and my sisters so many years ago! It gives me joy that Dr Gates can give some help to those African Americans that were robbed of thier ancestry. That was among the many crimes those families had to endure! God Bless his work!

[nappssnapps]

I recently went on my own ancestry journey to find my people. My maternal grandmothers side of the family is extremely vague and hard to find. I didn't know much about her mom or dad other than the death of her mom when she was 9 years old. My grandmother's name is Essie and I always wondered what made my great grandmother think of such a weird and beautiful name like that. I found out last year that my great grandmother was a house servant for a white family. The family had three kids, one of which, was named Essie. It blew my mind to think my great grandmother loved that little girl she took care of so much that she decided to name her own daughter, my grandmother, after this little girl. I was even later able to find my slave ancestors on my father's side of the family which is rare. Not many African Americans can trace their ancestry back that far for obvious reasons. This has been such an awarding and addictive experience for sure! 😊

[kims.schinkel]

My friend in the U.K. did a bit of digging after I'd talked about my great-grandmother, who was born in Sussex and married a man from Southampton after doing some traveling. They settled here in Western Missouri. Two hours later, he called back and called me cousin. His mother is my sixth cousin, and I hear from him more than all my first and second cousins put together! As a result, I'm related to Marie Antoinette, Copernicus, the late Prince Philip, and Basil Rathbone.

Cool.

[lynnette]

What blows me away about this show is the incredible access to records and research that they so that allows these stories to be unearthed. Particularly the record keeping by those doing evil things. The Nazi and slave owners were meticulous record keepers. As Elisa says "monsters that thought to write it all down". I love this show so much.

[DonaldJenkins-czhi]

In the Spring of 1987, I had recently moved to Atlanta, GA. Not long after, my father sent me a yellow envelope with a note and two photos, one being my grandmother. Little did I realize the journey I would take decades later to answer questions about our family history.

People, it is absolutely paramount that everyone do this. The only way to know and understand real truth is to do what is hard, and what is hard is finding your roots.

Today, my search continues.

[HEIDIBrayInMaine]

I find every single story here profoundly life changing and there isn't ANY ONE MORE THAN THE OTHER that is better or worse ...Every single human on this episode had ancestors who's life was changed in not only a moment in time but in such a cathartic way...

My deepest respects and fondest regards and support to every person who finds a missing piece and realizes the power of family ❤

[BradleyKisia]

I am an African living in America. Let me say this (racism not intended), but the original African Americans have done so much for the freedoms of the non-white peoples in this country. I am always grateful and have immense respect for them. So sorry your ancestors went through so much pain, but, thank you from the deepest part of my heart. Thank you!

[msv.poindexter]

Thank you Dr. Gates for this show. I look forward to seeing more of them.

[kat.b.]

I can't imagine how my Grandparents felt seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time as immigrants with a baby boy in their arms. After building a successful career in the dairy industry of California and raising 11 children. In 1956 they bought a big new American car, filled if full of things the family in Holland desperatly needed., due to shortages caused by the Nazi occupation. They put that car on a ship, delivered the gifts and probably showing off just a little bit, by visiting with the family there, who told them they wouldn't 'make it' in the USA. To know how proud they were of being Americans, is our greatest gift. I'm sure they shed tearsto see Lady Liberty again, knowing how the journey unfolded since the first time they saw her holding that torch to light the way. They drove from sea to sea twice that year. Amazing people, my ancestors.

[clumsyzombie]

Questlove's story is most shocking to me bc only by a little bit did his whole life change, but Pharrell's just straight up makes me want to cry.

[Texantomhorn]

This happened to my brother. We found out that my brother was my half brother when he turned 50 years old. Our dad is almost 80, and still doesn’t know. It would break our dad’s heart.

[pinkyjohns]

My husband did his search and was shocked to find he has Scandinavian DNA! As Black people, we rarely think of Scandinavian ancestry.

[Kindheart]

I am so sorry Mandy Patinkin. May they rest in peace. I hope your mind is at peace. What a sad and sorry truth to reveal.