LeVar Burton Kept It Cute After Discovering His White Ancestry On ‘Finding Your Roots’

In a surprising revelation on Jan. 16 episode of "Finding Your Roots," renowned host LeVar Burton discovered a previously unknown aspect of his family tree – his part-white ancestry.

In a surprising revelation on the Jan. 16 episode of Finding Your Roots, Rolling Stone reported that renowned host LeVar Burton discovered a previously unknown aspect of his family tree – his part-white ancestry. Known for his roles in PBS’s Reading Rainbow and iconic series like Roots and Star Trek: The Next Generation, Burton was stunned by the unexpected findings during the genealogy exploration led by Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Burton, who was raised by a single mother, Erma Gene, alongside his two sisters in Sacramento, CA, approached the show with questions about his family history. Dr. Gates, the host of the PBS genealogy series now in its tenth season, provided Burton with insights into his lineage. The revelation unfolded on his mother’s side, where Burton’s great-great-grandfather, James Henry Dixon, was discovered to be white.

Dixon had an extramarital relationship with a Black woman, a former slave, resulting in the birth of Burton’s great-grandmother, Mary. The revelation left Burton visibly shocked, exclaiming, “I’d have fought you five minutes ago if you had told me that I had a white great-great-grandfather… What?! Kunta has white ancestry. What?! Come on now, Skip!”

Amidst laughter and surprise, Burton, when asked by Gates if he had ever considered having a “white direct ancestor,” responded with a resounding, “No! No, I had no idea! So, granny was half-white?”

Adding to the complexity of the revelation, it was unveiled that Dixon, born in 1847, served as a teenager in the North Carolina Confederate Junior Reserves – a subset of the Confederate Army that fought to defend slavery.

The episode showcases the profound impact of genealogical exploration on individuals’ understanding of their heritage, with Burton’s journey taking an unexpected turn and shedding light on the intricate tapestry of his family history. Finding Your Roots continues to uncover compelling stories and connections, providing a deeper understanding of the diverse backgrounds that shape the lives of its featured celebrities.