Connecting the African American past to the present

Elizabeth Alexander talks about her family’s accomplishments. (2m 29s)

What's in a name?

Yo-Yo Ma reveals the origin of his unusual first name. (1m 33s)

What makes us who we are?

Malcolm Gladwell and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. discuss the factors that inform our identity. (2m 29s)

What it means to be Japanese-American

Kristi Yamaguchi reflects on what she's learned about her ancestry. (3m)

What it means to be African American

Elizabeth Alexander and Henry Louis Gates discuss what it means to be African American. (3m 10s)

What "home" means to me

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. asks Yo-Yo Ma what he hopes to learn about his ancestry. (5m 1s)

The trip that changed everything

Yo-Yo Ma tells a story about his childhood visit to New York City. (3m 32s)

Texan pride

Eva Longoria talks about what it was like to grow up as a "Texican." (1m 52s)

Stories of the past

Kristi Yamaguchi discusses what she hopes to learn about her ancestors. (3m 28s)

Returning to China

Yo-Yo Ma discusses the first time he visited China as an adult. (6m 34s)

Relationships between Europeans and American Indians

Louise Erdrich discusses the fractious relationship between settlers and American Indians. (4m 55s)

Reactions to an interracial marriage

Malcolm Gladwell relates the reactions o his parents' interracial marriage. (6m 51s)

Preview - Faces of America with henry Louis Gates, Jr.

What made America? What makes us? (3m 39s)

Native Americans and the importance of ancestry

Louise Erdrich on why ancestral history is central to the existence of Native Americans (2m 41s)

Native American connections

Eva Longoria learns of her Native American ancestry. (1m 2s)

Loyalty, sacrifice, and persecution

Kristi Yamaguchi and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. discuss how Japanese were treated during WWII. (3m 25s)

Love during wartime

Dr. Oz tells the story of how his grandfather and grandmother met and married in Turkey. (2m 15s)

The legacy of British colonialism and Irish Americans

Stephen Colbert talks about what it means to be Irish in America. (2m 49s)

Learning English the hard way

Dr. Oz tells the story of how his father worked as a doctor in Cleveland. (3m 17s)

Land disputes on the Western frontier

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. reveals the Longoria family's struggles to protect their land. (6m 24s)

The King and I

Queen Noor tells Henry Louis Gates, Jr. about how she met King Hussein of Jordan. (4m 17s)

Keeping cultural connections alive

Queen Noor talks about special cultural traditions that keep her tied to her Arabic roots. (3m 37s)

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Japanese heritage and Olympic gold

Kristi Yamaguchi talks about how her Japanese heritage affected public perception. (2m 39s)

Islam and identity

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. asks Dr. Oz about how his Muslim faith affects his sense of self. (5m 18s)

The immigrant experience in American history

Stephen Colbert discusses why it’s important to know where you come from. (4m 9s)

Growing up Italian in Washington state

Mario Batali relates stories of Italian ancestry within his family. (2m 38s)

Growing up English, Jamaican and Canadian

Malcolm Gladwell discusses his upbringing in Canada. (7m 19s)

A grandmother's influence

Mario Batali reminisces about his grandmother. (4m 27s)

Going back to Italy

Mario Batali talks about moving back to Italy as a young man to cook Italian food. (3m 51s)

First visit to Japan

Kristi Yamaguchi talks about what she felt when she first visited Japan and met relatives. (4m 59s)

The federal government and "the Indian problem"

Louise Erdrich's grandfather led a fight against Indian termination.. (2m 57s)

Family traditions and customs

Stephen Colbert talks about traditions and customs he's kept alive in his own family. (1m 26s)

Family, race and color

Malcolm Gladwell talks about variations in race and “skin politics” among West Indians. (3m 44s)

Ethnic identification and discrimination

Louise Erdrich talks about how she self-identifies. (4m 9s)

Ethnic diversity

Queen Noor describes how she learned about her diverse ethnic background. (2m 55s)

Deciding to be a doctor

Dr. Oz reveals why he decided to join the field of medicine when he was seven years old. (2m 13s)

The Colbert family history

Stephen Colbert relates stories within his family about their ancestry in Canada. (2m 56s)

Clifford Alexander, Sr. arrives in America

Elizabeth Alexander talks about her grandfather, Clifford Alexander, Sr. (2m 29s)

Clifford Alexander and the death of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Elizabeth Alexander talks about her father and his role in quelling violence in D.C. (2m 6s)

Childhood stories

Queen Noor tells the story of her nomadic childhood. (3m 17s)