This a clip from of "African American Lives 2," which aired on PBS in New York last night. Hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr,. the documentary traces the genealogy of Morgan Freeman, Chris Rock, Tina Turner and other famous African Americans. It’s fascinating stuff, so look out for the next installment. Interesting facts: Chris Rock’s great, great grandfather served in the South Carolina legislature during Reconstruction. (Sadly his tenure was short-lived.) And one of Don Cheadle’s ancestors was owned by the Chickasaw nation, and hence was not freed after the Civil Law because Indian territory did not fall under American law. Tim Reidy
African American Lives on PBS
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16 years 4 months ago
This was indeed one of the most surprising shows I had seen in a long while, almost unique in its ability to explain a complicated topic in a personal, and touching way. The surprise, pity and pride on Chris Rock's face when he learned of his ancestor's astonishing past was quite moving. This is public television at its very best: accessible, informative, provocative.
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