African American Lives (2006– )

This 4 part PBS series attempts to trace the roots of 8 guests using genealogy, oral history, family stories, and DNA analysis.

Stars:

Benjamin Carson Sr., Henry Louis Gates, Whoopi Goldberg

Cast

Series cast summary:
Benjamin Carson Sr.	...	Himself (4 episodes, 2006)
Henry Louis Gates	...	Himself (4 episodes, 2006)
Whoopi Goldberg	...	Herself (4 episodes, 2006)
T.D. Jakes	...	Himself (4 episodes, 2006)
Mae C. Jemison	...	Herself (4 episodes, 2006)
Quincy Jones	...	Himself (4 episodes, 2006)
Chris Tucker	...	Himself (4 episodes, 2006)
Oprah Winfrey	...	Herself (4 episodes, 2006)
Jane Ailes	...	Herself (2 episodes, 2006)
Ira Berlin	...	Himself (2 episodes, 2006)
Henry Louis Gates Sr.	...	Himself (2 episodes, 2006)
Helen Gates Stephens	...	Herself (2 episodes, 2006)
James Horton	...	Himself (2 episodes, 2006)

Storyline

This 4 part PBS series attempts to trace the roots of 8 guests using genealogy, oral history, family stories, and DNA analysis.

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Plot Keywords:

genealogy | african american | slavery | deoxyribonucleic acid

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Genres:

Documentary | History

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Details

Official Sites:

PBS [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 February 2006 (USA)

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kunhardt Productions, WNET Channel 13 New York

Technical Specs

Runtime:

54 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Followed by African American Lives 2 (2008)

User Reviews

Absolutely brilliant...you really never know where your relatives are from until you are tested!

This was a great series--great scientifically and great "sociology".

A number of prominent African Americans undergo historical research, genealogy research, recollections and DNA testing to understand the origins of each's own family. With slavery disrupting all social bonds and separation of the young from their parents, many peoples experiencing slavery and servitude in their past genuinely don't know "where I am from".

The DNA testing is very extensive--not the usual $99 special that testing companies offer. In this PBS special they do maternal and paternal line tracing, and also population features--and EXPLAINED everything. This was really very cool without the silly horror music and making science seem tricky just to give it "mystery", so everything was very straightforward.

Highly recommended--best science documentary since the COSMOS seriously.