Finding Your Roots Season 12 Episodes

Episode 1

American Dreams

Tue, Jan 6, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. uncovers America Ferrera and Darren Criss' immigrant ancestors.

Episode 2

Great Migrations

Tue, Jan 13, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the family trees of rapper Wiz Khalifa and actor Sanaa Latha.

Episode 3

Caribbean Roots

Tue, Jan 20, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the Caribbean heritage of Liza Colón-Zayas and Delroy Lindo.

Episode 4

The Road We Took

Tue, Jan 27, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of actor Lizzy Caplan and comedian Hasan Minha

Episode 5

Love & Basketball

Tue, Feb 3, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the roots of basketball superstars Brittney Griner and Chris Paul-revealing that they are not the first extraordinary people in their family trees. Telling stories that stretch deep into the past, Gates introduces his guests to relatives who showed courage, talent and grit-connecting Brittney and Chris to their ancestors in ways that they never imagined possible.

Episode 6

Westward Bound

Tue, Feb 10, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the family trees of talk show host Sara Haines and playwright Tracy Letts-tracing their roots from frontier towns in the American west to diverse places in the east, telling stories of scoundrels, soldiers, and U.S. Presidents, while also discovering surprising connections to Native Americans communities-revealing the complexity at our nation's core.

Episode 7

Family Harmonies

Tue, Feb 17, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of two celebrated musicians: Lizzo and Flea, tracing lineages that run from plantations in the American South to battlefields in France to a hardscrabble gold mining town on the shores of Australia. Along the way, Lizzo and Flea reimagine themselves as they learn the true stories of the people who laid the groundwork for their success-and inspired their art.

Episode 8

Artistic Roots

Tue, Feb 24, 2026

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the roots of director Spike Lee and actor Kristin Chenowith, neither of whom know much about their family background.

Episode 9

Song of the South

Tue, Apr 7, 2026

Episode 10

Rags to Riches

Tue, Apr 14, 2026