The Importance of Ancestry
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As Officer Crowley and Dr. Gates discovered, it's a small world. Despite our different races, religions and cultures, family trees intertwine, and humans are, ultimately, connected. This fact is proven in Dr. Gates' new PBS series, Faces of America.
When Oscar®-winning actors, Olympic Games medalists and celebrated musicians allowed Dr. Gates to trace their roots, many were surprised by the results.
Actress Eva Longoria always thought of herself as a Mexican-American, but a DNA test showed that she's actually 70 percent European, 27 percent Native American and 3 percent African.
"To know that I have a majority Spanish blood is a little...you know, I've been so proud of being Mexican—Mexican from Mexico," she says. "To know that that's not really who I am."
"It's not only who you are," Dr. Gates says.
Cutting-edge DNA research also leads to some surprising family connections. Eva finds out she's related to Grammy®-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and actress Meryl Streep discovers she's linked to director Mike Nichols, a man she's worked with on four films.
When Oscar®-winning actors, Olympic Games medalists and celebrated musicians allowed Dr. Gates to trace their roots, many were surprised by the results.
Actress Eva Longoria always thought of herself as a Mexican-American, but a DNA test showed that she's actually 70 percent European, 27 percent Native American and 3 percent African.
"To know that I have a majority Spanish blood is a little...you know, I've been so proud of being Mexican—Mexican from Mexico," she says. "To know that that's not really who I am."
"It's not only who you are," Dr. Gates says.
Cutting-edge DNA research also leads to some surprising family connections. Eva finds out she's related to Grammy®-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and actress Meryl Streep discovers she's linked to director Mike Nichols, a man she's worked with on four films.
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