Tonight I watched African American Lives 2, the PBS special in which Henry
Skip Gates does genealogical history for several stars. Gotta admit, I was a
little doubtful about the show this time around. Not the concept, which is
cool. I was thinking that watching the lives of the rich and famous would leave
me a bit cold. "Give this chance to more of us regular folk, I thought. The
rich folk have enough money to get this done on their own". But I have to say
it moved me. Putting aside their celebrity and just seeing them as Black people
like mewith hopes and dreams and sad and glorious stories in their pastsI was
really able to get into it. Skip Gates digs up some amazing history on the
ancestry of these stars (and one regular person chosen for the show). The
people are often moved to tears as they find out about ancestors who were state
senators, donated land for schools to be built, were owned by Natives, fought
in the Civil War, etc. The biggest shock of all is Tom Joyne
r, who discovers that two of his uncles were electrocuted in South Carolina for
a crime they didnt commit, along with three other Blacks--all in the same day.
Great show, I highly recommend you check PBS schedule to see when it airs again.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aalives/?campaign=pbshomefeatures_2_africanamericanlives2_2008-02-06
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aalives/about.html
ABOUT AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2
Series Overview
Building on the widespread acclaim of African American Lives (2006) and Oprah's
Roots (2007), AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES 2 again journeys deep into ancestry of an
all-new group of remarkable individuals, offering an in-depth look at the
African-American experience and race relations throughout U.S. history. Harvard
professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. returns as series host, guiding genealogical
investigations down through the 20th century, Reconstruction, slavery and early
U.S. history, and presenting cutting-edge genetic analysis that locates
participants' ancestors in Africa, Europe and America. Joining Professor Gates
in the new broadcast are poet Maya Angelou, author Bliss Broyard, actor Don
Cheadle, actor Morgan Freeman, theologian Peter Gomes, publisher Linda Johnson
Rice, athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee, radio personality Tom Joyner, comedian
Chris Rock, music legend Tina Turner, and college administrator Kathleen
Henderson, who was selected from more than 2,000 applicants to have her
family history researched and DNA tested alongside the series' well-known
guests.
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