Finding Your Roots, Season 12

Poster for Season 12 of Finding Your Roots, showing the faces of various celebrity guests

Publication information:

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. 2026. Finding Your Roots, Season 12. Writer, host, and executive producer. Television series, PBS (ten, one-hour episodes).

Abstract

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. returns for its 12th season on PBS.

Over the course of ten new episodes, Gates and his team use genealogical detective work and cutting-edge DNA analysis to trace the family trees of twenty compelling guests, telling stories that illuminate America’s fundamental diversity. 

Guests include actors Kate Burton, Lizzy Caplan, Kristin ChenowethLiza Colón-Zayas, Darren Criss, Danielle Deadwyler, America Ferrera, Sanaa Lathan, and Delroy Lindo; comedian Hasan Minhaj; basketball stars Brittney Griner and Chris Paul; musicians Flea, Rhiannon Giddens, Lizzo, and Wiz Khalifa; playwright Tracy Letts; talk show host Sara Haines; media mogul Barry Diller; and filmmaker Spike Lee.