Issa Rae’s Dramatic Family History Is Like a “Soap Opera” | Finding Your Roots

Ancestry^® is proud to support Finding Your Roots on PBS.

Learn More

Actress and producer Issa Rae gains clarity on where she comes from… with a surprising twist ending that she likens to a soap opera! Watch as Henry Louis Gates Jr. walks her through her family history on PBS’s Finding Your Roots.

“Comedian Issa Rae came to me knowing that her mother’s Roots ran deep in Louisiana. Tracing those routes uncovered a story that would take Issa completely by surprise.

“The Story begins with their third-great-grandfather, a man named Dorson Charbonnet. We found Dorson, along with his family, listed by name in the 1860 census, which was unusual because this census was recorded during slavery, and enslaved people were not named on federal documents.”

Watch the video to learn more.

Start a Free Trial

Watch all new episodes of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Tuesdays at 8/7c on PBS. Learn more or check your local PBS listings.