Video | Faces of America

Video

The legacy of British colonialism and Irish Americans
Stephen Colbert talks about what it means to be Irish in America, the legacy of British colonialism, and a surprising discovery about his wife's heritage.

The immigrant experience in American history
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Stephen Colbert discuss why it's important to know where you come from, and the place of the Colbert family in the context of American history.

Going back to Italy
Mario Batali talks about moving back to Italy as a young man to learn how to cook Italian food, and his continuing connection to his Italian heritage.

A grandmother’s influence
Mario Batali reminisces about his grandmother, her influence on his life as a chef, and his first cooking experiences.

Growing up Italian in Washington state
Mario Batali talks about what it was like to grow up as the grandson of Italian immigrants in Washington state.

Clifford Alexander, Jr. and the death of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Elizabeth Alexander talks about her father, Clifford Alexander, Jr. and his role in quelling violence after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Clifford Alexander, Sr. arrives in America
Elizabeth Alexander talks about her grandfather, Clifford Alexander, Sr. and his emigration from Jamaica to start a new life and raise a family in Harlem.

What it means to be African American
Elizabeth Alexander and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. discuss what it means to be African American, especially in the context of Alexander's mixed heritage.

Connecting the African American past to the present
Elizabeth Alexander talks about her family's accomplishments, and how they may (or may not) relate to what Henry Louis Gates, Jr. revealed about her ancestry.

About the Program

What made America? What makes us? These two questions are at the heart of the new PBS series Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The Harvard scholar turns to the latest tools of genealogy and genetics to explore the family histories of 12 renowned Americans — professor and poet Elizabeth Alexander, chef Mario Batali, comedian Stephen Colbert, novelist Louise Erdrich, journalist Malcolm Gladwell, actress Eva Longoria, musician Yo-Yo Ma, director Mike Nichols, Her Majesty Queen Noor, television host/heart surgeon Dr. Mehmet Oz, actress Meryl Streep, and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi.

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Corporate funding is provided by The Coca-Cola Company and Johnson & Johnson.

Additional funding is provided by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, The Atlantic Philanthropies, and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Additional support is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and PBS.