1. Laura Linney’s Felonious Ancestors
Laura Linney discovered her fifth great-grandfather, William Linney, was convicted of receiving stolen goods and transported to Virginia in 1768. Linney took this revelation in stride with a laugh, learning about her ancestor’s transportation to America from England on the ship Neptune.
2. Soledad O’Brien’s Ancestor Falls on Hard Times
Soledad O’Brien found out that her third great-grandmother, Lilias Whitman, was arrested in Scotland for robbery alongside teenage boys, suggesting
3. Julia Roberts’ Real Surname
Julia Roberts discovered that her great-grandfather John was born a decade after Willis Roberts, her supposed great-great-grandfather, had died. DNA analysis traced her ancestry to Henry McDonald Mitchell Jr., revealing her true biological surname should be Mitchell, not Roberts.
4. Issa Rae’s Free Ancestors
Issa Rae learned that her third great-grandfather, Dorson Chabanet, was documented by name due to his mother, Mite, being freed by her owner, a black man. Rae also discovered that her ancestor’s father was a white man engaged in a clandestine relationship with Mite, revealing a complex family history.
5. Gayle King’s European Ancestry
Gayle King uncovered that her maternal grandmother, Emma Brown, was the product of a white father and a black mother, a fact concealed out of shame. DNA analysis revealed that King’s ancestry is over 30% European, a revelation 6. Angela Davis Descended from White Settlers
Political activist Angela Davis was shocked to find out 7. George R.R. Martin’s Grandmother’s Affair
8. Viola Davis’ Great-Grandfather’s Mystery
9. Kathryn Hahn’s Ancestors’ Scandal
10. Niecy Nash Learns Her Grandfather’s True Identity
Niecy Nash found out that the man
