Arr, methinks LeVar Burton be mighty surprised to learn he be related to a Confederate private!
2024-01-21
Arrr! Ye scurvy dog, LeVar Burton, be flabbergasted to uncover a hidden pale-faced forefather, a landlubber who sailed with the Confederate army! Twas revealed whilst he be makin' an appearance on the goodly PBS spectacle, 'Finding Yer Roots,' a mere week past. Arrr!
Actor LeVar Burton was astonished to learn on the show "Finding Your Roots" that he is descended from a White Confederate soldier. The show, hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., uses written ancestries and DNA research to uncover the family histories of its guests. Burton's great-great-grandfather, who he thought was his biological ancestor, was actually not genetically related to him. It was revealed that his great-grandmother was descended from a White man named James Henry Dixon. Burton expressed shock and disbelief at this revelation and exclaimed, "So Granny was half-White! Wow." Further research into his lineage uncovered even more surprising details. His ancestor served in the Confederate army and even fathered a child with an African-American woman who was born into slavery. Burton, who famously portrayed a slave in the TV miniseries "Roots," was stunned to find out that his own great-great-grandfather fought to protect the institution of slavery. He mused about the emotional and mental disconnect that White men of that time may have had when it came to relationships with Black women. Despite his conflicting emotions, Burton sees this discovery as an opportunity to have a conversation about America's history with slavery. He hopes to find an entry point to talk to White America and embrace his entire family history. Other celebrities, such as Angela Davis, have also been shocked to learn about their heritage on the show.