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Finding Your Roots

Finding Your Roots

2012Returning SeriesNext: Feb 24 8pm ET12 Seasons120 Episodes6.2TMDB
PBS

Noted Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has been helping people discover long-lost relatives hidden for generations within the branches of their family trees. Professor Gates utilizes a team of genealogists to reconstruct the paper trail left behind by our ancestors and the world’s leading geneticists to decode our DNA and help us travel thousands of years into the past to discover the origins of our earliest forebears.

Season 12 Episodes

Browse every episode and jump into details.

Episode 2: Great Migrations

Jan 13, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. introduces rapper Wiz Khalifa and actor Sanaa Lathan to ancestors who left the American South, boldly breaking racial barriers.

Episode 3: Caribbean Roots

Jan 20, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the Caribbean roots of actors Liza Colón-Zayas and Delroy Lindo—meeting ancestors who took enormous risks.

Episode 4: The Road We Took

Jan 27, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. introduces actor Lizzie Caplan and comedian Hasan Minhaj to ancestors whose brave decisions forever reshaped their families.

Episode 5: Love & Basketball

Feb 3, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the family trees of basketball stars Brittney Griner and Chris Paul—uncovering ancestors who had extraordinary talents.

Episode 6: Westward Bound

Feb 10, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of talk show host Sara Haines and playwright Tracy Letts from the American west to surprising places back east.

Episode 7: Family Harmonies

Feb 17, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of musicians Lizzo and Flea—traveling across the globe to find stories of the ancestors who inspired their work.

Episode 8: Artistic Roots

Feb 24, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of director Spike Lee and actor Kristin Chenoweth, meeting ancestors whose creativity built their families.

Episode 9: Song of the South

Mar 3, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the family secrets of Danielle Deadwyler and Rhiannon Giddens, uncovering stories their ancestors once hid.

Episode 10: Rags to Riches

Mar 10, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of actor Kate Burton and media mogul Barry Diller, meeting ancestors who made huge sacrifices to escape poverty.

Season 12 FAQ

Quick answers about this season's release timeline and episode lineup.

When did Finding Your Roots Season 12 premiere?

Finding Your Roots Season 12 premiered on January 6, 2026.

How many episodes are in Finding Your Roots Season 12?

Finding Your Roots Season 12 has 10 episodes.

What is the first episode of Finding Your Roots Season 12?

The season opens with Season 12 Episode 1, "American Dreams". It aired on January 6, 2026.

Go to Season 12 Episode 1

Where to Watch

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