Henry Louis Gates, Jr. reveals two "subliminal messages" in Finding Your Roots

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is America’s favorite genealogist. Nearly everyone reading this is familiar with the format of his hit PBS show, Finding Your Roots (if you’re not, please read the EasyGenie newsletter essay from January, Finding Your Roots Season 10: a mysterious NPE and Canadian genealogy). But did you know that there are two “subliminal messages” included in each episode?

Gates revealed the hidden messages in an interview with Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon (see clip). They are:

1. America is a nation of immigrants. He said this includes African Americans, who are the descendants of people who were enslaved and brought here against their will. Native Americans are descended from people who migrated from Northeast Asia 15,000 years ago. Gates cited a 1967 speech at Stanford University by Martin Luther King, who said we can not only regard ourselves as a nation of immigrants, but also a nation of exiles.
2. Despite outward appearances, under the skin, we are 99.99% the same. This is an important reminder for a deeply divided nation.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr., pop culture icon

The Tonight Show is not the only recent TV appearance for Gates: He had a cameo on The Simpsons!

Watch the clip, which takes Homer’s coworker Carl Carlson through the classic Finding Your Roots format to uncover the secret of a mysterious heirloom. Gates said one of the best parts of appearing on The Simpsons was the huge impression it made on his granddaughter.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is not just a talented genealogist, historian, and television host. He’s a pop culture phenomenon. Keep it coming, Professor Gates!