Pharrell Makes a Harrowing Discovery About His Ancestors | Finding Your Roots | Ancestry®
Producer and Grammy winner Pharrell Williams reflects on the depth of his family ties to enslavement after reading an excerpt from an interview involving his ancestor on Finding Your Roots.
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Pharrell Reacts to Family History in Finding Your Roots | Ancestry
/ ancestrycom
00:00 Introduction
0:25 Pharrell finds extraordinary family document
1:01 Pharrell reads his 3rd great-aunt’s written words
2:28 Pharrell 3rd great-grandfather’s tragic childhood
2:57 Pharrell’s emotional reaction
Want more celebrity content? Check out the new season of Who Do You Think You Are? Sundays at 7/6c on NBC or stream on Peacock. visitancestry.com/3Pfkvq5
Pharrell is not oppressed
They need to get Sean King to do this we'd all be interested in learning who his ancestors were yeah invite Sean King on this show
@@tiestokygoericprydz3963 the ninja invite Sean King to do this we'd all be interested to see who his enslaved ancestors were Sean King
YALL KNOW WHATS MORE HORRENDOUS????? YALL STILL ON SOMEBODY ELSES LAND AND YET YALL GETTING ALL THIS SYMPATHY????? SAME WITH THIS JOULLLLSS... NONE YALL THE BIGGEST VICTEMS IN THIS COUNTRY....STOP...
It's shameful
Pharrell’s been in his 20’s for 20 years.
I think his bone structure is what makes him look so young. He has a boyish frame to some extent. It’s crazy how he still has this “teenaged boy” aura to him!
True. I was thinking how young he looks.
@@ilovelife3328 and his skin
2m times this has been written. He looks his age. He has zero facial fat, so nothing to droop.
@@ilovelife3328 and his skin makes him look young
This man is going to be 50 in 3 years and why does he look like he's still in his 20s??
botox
He is beautiful...isn't he.
A beautiful human inside and out.
@@thedetour9576 It's genetics...Black don't crack, especially when we have the money to take care of ourselves and lower stress. I look incredibly young and I've never has any plastic surgery. Black people aged 12 years slower than whites. Our skin is thicker and it doesn't wrinkle easily.
@@thedetour9576 botox? How come he doesn't look like Dolly Parton and Mickey Rourke? Lol. Try harder hater.
When he said, "I am trying not to be angry and I'm trying not to cry." I felt that in my soul. My sentiments exactly 💯
Why would he try not to be angry ,,, this whole situation deserves anger
@@LeemLovesArtMy anger and resentment is starting to be toxic and stultifying. I have to transform it into something else. I have to forgive for my own sake.
@Tené A. Buckner i had someone once say to me, 'if you become the monster you sought to destroy, where is the change?' I think you may want to hear that too :)
Exactly, but it's also why content like this only builds HATE for the next generations by dwelling on the past. Just because this happened to your ancestors, doesn't mean that it happened to you, nor was it modern-day 'white people' who ever participated. So, don't HATE modern-day 'white people' just because of such content because you might if you become 'angry' like Pharrell started to feel. You still gotta use LOGIC.
Shut up
His name is Pharrell and has an ancestor named Farro that he JUST learned about. That is wild!! Wow! Gave me chills.
Hi Unicorn Kav, and thanks for stopping by! We are delighted to hear you are enjoying this episode! Thanks for sharing!
That’s just TWO generations ago. That so crazy how recent slavery still is. Wow
YES, WASN'T TO LONG AGO...
Yes!! And thats what our youth are not understanding. My great grandmother was born in to slavery and im only 30 years old. Slavery was literally just yesterday and the effects it has on our family, lineage and existence is just unearthing.
Well, technically a generation is only 20years, its only been about 100 or so years if you include neo-slavery & share cropping...
@@reggieoverton4437 there’s always that one dickhead, bro.
Yes slaves were still alive 2 generations ago. My great grand parents knew former slaves
This is why it’s so important to write a family book for your children to pass down. Imagine discussing 2020 in our own words, instead of learning about it in a history book, or distorted Instagram clips 100 years later.
That's a great idea!! Create a personal family history for your descendants. It gives a person so much insight into themselves. Seeing photo's of my ancestors always gives me more insight into them than just knowing their names.
That's a good idea. I have my own journal but i think a family book is bigger and better. 😉
What do you think Facebook is? People write about their day to day, opinions and deepest thoughts on there.
My family did and people say they didn't know what they were talking about because it doesn't anywhere follow the narrative being pushed. And my family isn't unique. I did notice that because it was 1857, HG is saying he was automatically born into slavery, and that's not the case for a lot of blacks back then. Sorry, but those are facts.
@@10INCHCRUSHER you’re right, that’s not the case with everyone. I believe on a previous episode with Queen Latifah, one of her greats were freed back in the 1700’s, so that automatically made her following family members “free” also. HG is just speaking of this episode with Pharrell. But that’s why that book would be interesting, because it’s specific to YOUR family, and YOUR experiences.
I feel that it’s important to know and understand our ancestors pain and sufferings. So we can be more appreciative and grateful for the life we now have.
Completely agree!
I agree. No matter how hard and painful, it is important to know.
Everyone was slaves, in every country on earth. It was every day life since the start of humanity
So strange to see people being proud of “being a victim” - it’s like some sort of obscene fetish. Every country and every people of every race on Earth throughout history have been colonisers, have been colonised, have been slaves, etc.
To the people that say "it wasn't you." When I hear about the pain my ancestors endured I am always brought to tears. If it doesn't make you emotional there might be something wrong with you
It is you, us, we carry their DNA we are part of them, we should honor their struggles by living their potential.😢❤
Man I totally get it. Although I’m from a different history, my family has similar stories & it infuriates me to think about. It’s important for us to remember this history so that we never repeat it. As long as we don’t go forward with hate in our hearts, understanding we can’t blame people now for what happened then, we all will be ok.
Very painful 😭
@@mariahirano beautifully stated 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
That's right
“I don’t want to cry and I’m trying not to be angry” I felt that and I feel this every day.
I’m sorry your community has these deep wounds.
It was deep, you should see the whole episode. He really struggled with it & you feel his pain. 😥
@@rosevalerio5863 What's this series called? Ancestry?
@@SuperGabetendo777Finding Your Roots and airs Tue nights on PBS...
@@rosevalerio5863 thanks
His responses got to me. Everyone knows that it happened and THEN you see pictures, dates and hear their words, and all of a sudden you're inside of the story
What do you think his reaction would be if this was William Ellison that owned them?
@@bob-backwards Of course none of us can speak for him but I can imagine it's similarly difficult knowing your ancestors put people through suffering as it is knowing they suffered.
You're inside the story and you think, "How, how could this be?" But it was. It's hard to wrap your mind around a truth that puts your nightmares to shame.
I agree. I can’t even begin to express my sorrow that people were ever treated as the slaves were. How can one human look into the eyes of another-especially a child-and do what was disgustingly done to these beautiful souls. I’m so sorry…
@@nocomment2468 excellent description of what I’m feeling… 💔
He was shook up very intensely. As he read his Aunt's testimony, His soul visibly trembled.
I live in Greenville, NC (tar river) and when he started reading, I ran to my library because I have seen this story! There is a book I purchased last summer on Manteo called "Slave Narratives" from the federal writers project 1936-1938 North Carolina. This story, Pharrell's story, is on page 45. Wow. It's a great and insightful read. I wanted to let people know about the book if they're unaware/wanted to read it!
Thank you!
When he said Nash county that is usually Rocky Mount N.C. which my family are from
“You’re not a machine. What else can you feel?” - Absolutely
Henry Louis Gates Jr has to be a therapist as well as a genealogist. He said something that I think is really important for men to hear because we don't like to cry. I'm a therapist myself and i was like "yup he would definitely make a good therapist!" I'm crying 😭
I cried when he said that to him. He always seems to know what to say at the right time.
That statement really hit me.
You cute
Fr
"It's intense, sir. It's intense." Love that fame hasn't removed Pharrell's humbleness and polite manners.
Agree with you 👍
We're so glad you enjoyed the clip, Alicia!
@@AncestryUS Thank you for allowing these celebrities to share their family's stories. Personal stories, like Pharrell's family, make our country's history all the more personal - even when it isn't our family's story. 🙏
It's a pleasure to read your kind words of encouragement, Alicia D. ❤️ We're thrilled that you value the history and stories explored in this always interesting show. We hope that you can catch up on full episodes sometime and that you will share your thoughts with us again sometime. Make sure to check out the PBS website to see when and where you can view full episodes www.pbs.org/weta/finding-your-roots and call on our team anytime you need us.🌳
10000% awesome comment - so true
Yet, after all of this hardship, this is the guy who gave us the song "Happy".❤
Out of all the interviews in 'Finding Your Roots' this one was the most profound. Beautifully done, honest and sincere. Sending hugs to Pharrell.
He’s his ancestors wildest dreams ✊🏾
@None nope I'm black and I don't won't to live with the "white man".
Hallelujah
Frfr
Sincere kudos. Unfortuntely not very much solace when the rest of us descendants live sub-standard in a country our people built and have been brutalized in, without restitution, nor repair.
@@checkmattee222 You rocking with segregation?!?!?
To think his great grandma never knew her great grandson would be a famous, rich an respected man in America.
Worse than that, she would never even imagine that
Most great grandmothers don't get to know what happens to their great grandsons - it's not unusual!
@@adrianwright8685 you've missed the point buddy
@@adrianwright8685 the point is the slave women wouldn't have even imagined her Great Grandson would get to live a life of luxury
Yup well thank God that's all in the past now.
Humans are so mean to each other.
“ I don’t want to cry and I’m trying not to be angry” - Pharrell Sums up our lives past & present We persevere
"You're not a machine. This was horrendous. How else would you feel?" That struck my heart. I'm so grateful for the fullness of emotion. Therein lies understanding.
Exactly what does his emotions allow him to understand?
@@ms.chellylumpkins1143 ... let me guess "forgiveness" 🙄
n now pharrell working for the same folks.
@@ms.chellylumpkins1143 it's not good to hold in hurt
@@SonnyMeadows maybe you should try it dumbo
Pharrell, Pharoah, Farro... so many name similiarites within his family.
Its interesting how this happens. Like separated twins that marry men with same name and call their kids similar names. I found out when i got to know my family history that the name i chose for my daughter was a name of one of my ancestors. Its a unusual name. DNA has some interesting stories to tell.
@Luxe Monreaux It was an observation! Calm down!
@Luxe Monreaux and the moon landing was faked.
@Luxe Monreaux what do you mean he doesnt like black women??? His wife is literally mixed Ethiopian and Laotian?? His girlfriend before that is afro Trinidadian??
Maybe they did it on purpose?
Just imagine how proud his ancestors would be to see his achievements!
Wow! To have history presented to you from your ancestors in their own words....chilling and amazing at the same time. I would love to be able to have that type of history. It's heartbreaking. How resilint of a people are we to still be here?!
Our ppl were no joke and neither are their descendants! We are still under attack for a reason! Bc we are still a threat!
“I don’t wanna cry, and I’m trying not to be angry.” That is how I feel every time I hear about slavery.
@@runningbear6391 their are still children of slaves alive today. It wasn’t that long ago. And it’s effects are still lingering. Do your own research and see for yourself.
@@runningbear6391 their in there 80’s & 90’s. We don’t forgot about the Holocaust or war we honor and remember those that have came before us. Why should black people forgot about slavery ? Because it didn’t effect you ? Like I said just do your research ignorance is not something to be proud of.
@@runningbear6391 there are people in their 90s that experience Jim Crow.
Be angry. I am.
@@runningbear6391 people said that during jim crow too lol
Imagine going back and telling Pharell’s great-great-great aunt that she would have a great-great-great legendary, essential, phenomenal musician as a nephew. Nobody would have believed her🥲
He’s not a legend you’re reaching.
@@angelray8560 Pharrell is quite legendary as an artist, especially as a producer. His work has had a great influence on modern music.
@@angelray8560 he's produced for Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Gloria Estefan, to name a few. He has 13 Grammys. You're sitting on KZhead commenting nonsense. Incomparable.
I thought the same thing. How very proud his family - ancestors, current and descendants ....💌 Season 7 Episode 5 - Pharrell
Nobody. It"s true.
3:00 to 3:16 might be the closest I’ll ever come to understanding what it would feel like learning my ancestors were slaves. Such raw and real emotions here on both sides of the conversation. Kudos to both of these men for helping us become more empathetic.
Everyone on earth probably has an ancestor that was a slave at some point. It was a universal institution across the entire globe. Only one group of people define their entire identity around it (160 years out and counting).
"I am trying not to cry, and also trying not to be angry..." from Pharrell hit different. Like he "knows" those ancestors. We carry a lot down hereditarily such as illnesses, both mental and physical, to looks, to personalities... Just so crazy to realize that this was part of your ancestors path. Intense for sure.
Hey Warren. We appreciate you taking the time to watch the video and share your feelings with us. It was a really powerful and thought provoking episode and we appreciate you sharing your thoughts with our community today. We hope you will have the chance to watch full episodes of the show sometime and that you will let us know if we can ever lend a hand in advancing your own research.🌳
It's not that deep
Pharrell looks young but his eyes and his demeanor tell a different story.
Working hard long hours in richness will do that to u. Most perfectionists looks this way.
what do you mean with his eyes and his demeano?
Was thinking the same thing.... partying or age..starting to tell on him
@@zakariaelfadi9759 he's focused and serious maybe. He's crafty and a creator. Always thinking of something.
@@zakariaelfadi9759 the eyes age regardless of skin care or cosmetic enhancements. They are the windows to the soul
Pharrell seems like a very humble man, this was very moving.
He is I’ve met him lmao
If you notice, all celebrities from Va are extremely humble. It amazes me.
Don’t forget the Oprah interview when he said racism doesn’t exist anymore and that the world was a post racist global society. Only if you’re rich enough to have it!
I’ve met him before , he’s extremely soft spoken and really down to earth.
Naah he said he’s the “new black” and doesn’t identify with blm.
history is so valuable great video
Dr. Gates, what you're doing really matters. It's moving. It's touching. It's important. Your empathy shows. You never show anger, yet, like Pharrell I'd surely have to fight that urge to be. I watch very little television, but I watch Finding Your Roots when I can. Thank you for the work you do. You're a blessing to the American narrative.
This is amazing my 4th great grandfather was apart of the slave narrative and I got to read his story.. Out of 2300 people I had a relative that was interviewed I am forever thankful..
You are very fortunate.
Would you share his story?
That's awesome
That’s awesome that you read his story. I hope the 2,300 people’s ancestors have all been able to hear their stories. Such a small population. Is this stored in a Public space?
@@chebbiereadsandknits672 The entire database is on the Library of Congress website.
Our ancestors were so strong that I cry just thinking about it. They endured, so that we could live. As a Black Race, we got to treat each other better. This wasnt that long ago. Jesus!
“They endured so we could live.” amen
Counting yrs i felt the same way not long ago God 😪
💯🙏🏾
First thing jesus never existed for Black ok stop this nonsense .
Slave movies never show the depth of evils we endured, aligator bait being 1 example read a book called without sanctuary it will blow your mind the ways the Europeans were so creative with their torture techniques this is the stuff they have hidden but its all coming out now
I loved his reactions, so human and caring. 😢 Pharrell is an amazing musician and I'm sure his ancestors stand right beside his achievements, just as he is proud of them for being so strong.
We are happy to see that you enjoyed this video! Thank you for watching.
I'm just seeing this and it hurts so bad that our people had to go through this inhumane hatred. Each day when I rise I thank my ancestors for being the strong one that helped pave the way. The sacrifices made. You are a strong person and continue to strive forwards to your greatness cause you've got Angels in Heaven that are truly proud of you. Continue to stay blessed young man..
3 months later and here I am laughing again 😂. He looks like an old jaden smith. Great to see this. It’s amazing.
Thought the same! Like if you were looking at Pharrell while tripping on acid, you'd see Jaden!
Except Pharrell has talent and doesn’t ride on his fathers coattails
No this dude looks the same age....21
@@felix_five Ouch! Shots 🔥🔫.
@@felix_five Jaden is talented as well and no one is saying this about other Hollywood families so why are people so mystically concerned when it pertains to the Smith family.
A lot African Americans have been denied their history. It’s heart breaking, but their stories need to be told.
Immigrants share this bond of denied history as well. Many have left everything behind in deprived parts of the world to start a better future for their children. In doing so many of their stories where lost and left behind.
The first step is knowing that you’re most likely an indigenous Native American and not African for hundreds of thousands of years before this land was colonized.
@@j.mancilla8339 all lives matters...right?
@@j.mancilla8339 NO. THEY DON'T. They have their history
@@kkaybaltimore she knows, she is just trying to find some sort of comparison.
I appreciate Ancestry for providing this type of content. I am thankful to hear the words of Pharrell's ancestor and receive a true glimpse into what our people endured. I enjoyed the interviewer understanding Pharrell's feelings and affirming him in that moment. Allowing him to feel all his emotions which is something that is not afforded to many Black people especially Black men.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment, DJ Cayjuyn Spyce. Dr Gate's jr certainly offers a masterclass in family history and his knowledge and expertise is truly mind blowing. Make sure to check out many more thought provoking stories within our dedicated 'Finding Your Roots' playlist - kzhead.info/channel/PL0xuz8BBkD4gm8NBVH8ga1elIoAkBjL-q.html. Enjoy the festive season and please call by and see us again anytime. ☃️🎄🎁
@@AncestryUS Thank you 😊 I will be sure to check out more of Dr.Gate’s content. I love his interview style.
Wow, this videos are treasures.
“I don’t wanna cry and I’m trying not be angry.” Wow.
As an African I am always happy to see AAs trace their roots. It hurts me to see the pain AAs have gone. We love you in Africa and Africa is your home.
Takes strength and courage
And that's the problem. BP see denial of feelings that they are entitled to, and need to express for their own sanity, as strength. What has happened to BP deserves anger, hate and expression of pain. The important thing is to use those emotions as an impetus to better our conditions, whatever it takes. But we use that emotion to forgive things we really shouldn't.
@top RAHmen Well said! people must look forward, not victimize themselves from the past. I know for sure their ancestors wouldn't want that.
It has nothing to do with the subject and i hope it wont be misinterpreted but you are gorgeous
Henry Louis was great in this video. “You’re not a machine.” Really great, thoughtful responses.
We wholeheartedly agree. Henry is the perfect host with such a deep understanding of the past. Thank you for sharing your own impressions.
I thought that the hosts insistence that Pharrell become emotional, rather than remain logical, did a great disservice to Pharrell and to the viewers. I wanted to see Pharrell's genuine response, not him being goaded into getting angry or being upset, based on what the host deems as an "appropriate" response. Clearly, Pharrell's initial response wasn't "appropriate" enough for the host.
Agreed, I loved hearing him day that. 🙂❤💜
@@johnnytsunami4186 That is not at all what happened. Also, "remain logical"? How detached are you?
@@johnnytsunami4186 I agree Thomas. He didn't want to allow Pharrell's logical thinking to come into place. He insisted he wasn't a machine as if he had to become emotional.
Oh wow, this was intense and power. What a beautiful thing to be able to know and hear his ancestors words.
Thanks so much for watching, Carissa. We're glad you enjoyed the clip, and hope you've been able to catch reruns of the show on Tuesday evenings on PBS. 😊
I'm glad there is an actual record of the slaves' experiences. It's one thing to just hear about slavery but to actually hear it in the words of those who personally experienced slavery... that's a whole other level of understanding. This is invaluable!
Somewhere on KZhead there is an audio recording of a few people that were born into slavery. It's crazy/sad to think that we can actually **hear** the voices of slaves.
documenting history is so important!
You realize alot of us whose parents were born in the 1930s...were raised by their former slave grandparents?
@@seansimms8503 Yes, and hopefully you have their stories, handed down from your Grandparents to your Parents to you. My heritage is European & EuroAsian but I only have a small amount of history from 1 of my Grandparents. I know nothing about the other 3.
@@dee_dee_place...yes, my son and granddaughter now live in all places, South Carolina...I told all my kids history is what it is, past actions did shape the present but whatever we do today to this group or that group ain't changing the past, nothing against south Carolina it's just with my Yankee Illinois education, kind of ironic.
Henry Louis Gates is such a profound historian.
Thanks for watching. We agree and are naturally big fans of Dr. Gates ! ❤️
I so agree with you and very articulate also.✊
Actually, he has chosen to go "commercial" rather than do substantive work - as pointed out by African-American economist Glenn Loury (Brown University).
@@edmey He's spent a life time doing substantive work at Harvard. If at this stage, he wants to reward himself with a little shine in the spotlight, I think Skippy has more than earned that. His record speaks for itself; he has nothing to prove.
Yes! He is a phenomenal historian. I am so grateful for the work he's done throughout the years.
I love him. Such a good human and very creative. ❤️ your family would be/ are very proud of you. You're a true role model for many 💜
Wow, thanks to my daughter in middle school she helped me find this channel because of what she was taught today. 👍🏽Good job to the history teachers and homage to all our ancestors
“What kind of people, man? What kind of people...?” I’m in tears.
@@joeblow1186 Did they became enslaved, and their children, and their children's children? You're being intellectually dishonest if you don't see how the fact that it was so mass (12 million+ on the middle passage), so long (century after century), fairly recent (I know people who knew slaves), and on Western soil (one of the youngest developed countries) makes it a bit different than others? The impact is going to be greater because it was done on a greater scale. "ThErE wErE alWaYs slaves, yOur aNcEsToRs juSt hapPeNeD tO bE aMoNg tHe MoSt ReCeNt" does not make it less impactful. ALL slavery was and is wrong.
@@joeblow1186 Germany committed the greatest atrocities the world has ever seen, and had eventually crumbled in war, only 80 years ago. Within several decades, Germany had become fully integrated into the world economy and a cornerstone of global institutions, and now enjoys a society rivalling the best in the world. For most of the past millennium, White Europeans have always come out ahead. It's no secret that Argentina and and Uruguay are among the best countries in South America due to their European heritage. Same with Canada in North America, Australia and New Zealand in Oceania, and South Africa (comparatively) in Africa. The world for the past 500 years has been very pro-European and that won't change because of a few hashtags on Twitter. I'm not saying I agree with it, but that's just the way it is.
@@keynesianeconomics4113 There are many great countries of different races, because the race doesn't define the country.
@@Sirdud2SickK Not the race of a country per se, but the European-style institutional values such as democracy, freedom and equality.
@Aw Flower humanity lends itself to favour greed and selfishness across the board.
My ancestor Felix Haywood was interviewed for the Slave Narratives also .
Wow. I'm glad you have that record. I would wish that you had a different family story. I know my family story has whites who fought on both sides. That is really awful. It is horrible to think that my ancestors actually owned humans. I was told the myth that "(they) didn't treat their slaves bad!" My family members even said they were loved by their slaves. That is so wrong on so many levels. I have nothing to do with them anymore.
I love that they are developing such a deep collection of narratives. While in was in University studying education, they were an invaluable resource to supplement the written history. Especially because they show a deeper and sometimes different perspective and adds much more value than other forms of fiction which are generally written more to entertain with less focus on accurate representation.
Really? Wow, that’s amazing!!!🙏🏾
My aunt and ancestor, Carrie Mason, was as well.
I’m so glad you got that info for your family ❤️
Then you have people like me, who grow up without having met no one from their family, including their mother, father, literally no one... being treated like slave many times from childhood to teenage times, from racism to bullying, and here I am I've done it just by myself. I did it by always following my heart and helping to make this world a better place for all. God Bless you all.
No evidence for god though
No matter what, how utterly fantastic to be able to read your great, great, great, aunts actual words and account of her life.
Hi Sandwormgod, thanks for watching. We are happy to see that you enjoyed this video. We hope it inspires you to dive deeper into your family history research.
Pharrell must eat good food because this guy looks like he in his late 20's despite being flippin 47! It's nuts!
48 this year
My uncle is like this and eats super clean
He looks great!…but 50’s is really when the body starts visibly breakdown
@@byiza9484 Not for Jay-Z
@@byiza9484 haters gonna hate lol 😁
"What kind of people?" The spirit of those kind of people are still among us.
Isn’t that crazy ?! Zero evolvement.
Whatever doesn't get healed gets passed down.
Amen
Powerful comment
Yes, too true!
Pharrell is an inspiration. Look how much he has achieved and how far he has come, despite the bondage and persecution of his ancestors.
Thank you for reading your aunt Jane's words so beautifully. Your a good man God bless. FYI: I am in tears.
3:10 "It's intense sir, its intense." Always gets to me.
Me too
Me too
Me too
I replayed that so mamy times. His face. :'(
Why?
And when I hear folks say, “I’m not my ancestors”, sounds crazy to me. Yeah, they’re right. The ancestors were much stronger....💯
Well said!
I’ve always say that !!!
Facts
You do know some of our ancestors did provoke God to wrath right? But I do understand what you mean though.
💯💯💯💯💯
This one touched me so deeply for some reason...when he said to Dr. Gates, "It's intense, Sir", that hit me.
So beautiful , incredible video, made me cry.Could feel the emoyions of Pharrel, I have lot of respect for Pharrel and his music.
Hi there, thanks for watching! We are happy to see that you enjoyed this clip from Finding Your Roots.
@@AncestryUS welcome 🤗
Somewhere in Florida or some Midwest state, there’s a teacher telling kids that slavery wasn’t all bad and some slaves were treated well...downplaying how horrible chattel slavery was.
What is your motivation in saying this, troll or pure ignorance? You can’t trust the countless accounts of the enslaved, that are available to read?
@Korucuk kataloški broj hey man I think you dropped this 🧠
Is... How bad slavery is. (Actually, some were treated better depending on the owner... that doesn't down play it, just includes facts) but when you're active in helping some of the 25 million slaves in the world today, let me know
And those same teachers never teach that there were white slaves, or bonds men and women, who died under bondage. Treated no better than slaves. I have both European and African ancestors who were slaves. You won't be taught that in any school
@Korucuk kataloški broj your comments is still there luv
I think whats even more incredible in this story is...his family went from slaves to celebrity. If they could see him today how much they would be brought to tears from seeing their ancestory in prosperity
Just unbelievable!! Beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time..... slavery was horrendous.
So true! So very true!
Celebrity has always been misperceived as prosperity and success. It’s not necessarily the case and certainly not for most.
@@alexajackson8227 i would agree, but i was only speaking on Pharrells ancestry specifically; Not all descendants as a whole.
God bless America
Pharells face whens hes tryong not to cry and looking at the presemter is so striking. Never seen his face like that. so heartbreaking
"You're not a machine. This is horrendous"... I LOVE this program. It is THE one TV show I try to structure my time around. I do reserve restraint for the concerns that come with surrendering your genetic fingerprint... but... every damn time this program is on... I watch. We walk through oppression and struggles in its many forms and odd, wild discoveries... secrets hidden and truth lost to time. I think its time to launch and take the chance. My scoundrels are among my angels. LOVE this program.
Hi McLeod, thank you for watching! We are glad to see that you enjoyed this video.
"I don't wanna cry and I'm trying not to be angry" 🥺
@@mrkingofhaha your name is "MrKingofHaha" and yet you're not funny lol
@@mrkingofhaha your so caught in your head you don’t know what empathy is
"You're not a machine. This was horrendous" So touching. A lot of our first reactions is to say "I will not cry" .
Thanks for watching and for sharing your thoughts. ❤️
@@AncestryUS you're very welcome 😄 🌹
@Ancestry you are bringing so much closure to many people who didn't even know they needed it. Thankyou so much for giving a voice and a story to those who couldn't speak
Such sensitivity. Thank you
It's pretty wild how you see the young man in Pharrell come out when he says "It's intense, Sir."
The Finding Your Roots episodes that Henry Lewis Gates presents are so very powerful. Pharrell didn't want to cry and tried not to get angry. I cried and got angry for him. What a wicked thing slavery was. What a wicked thing.
And all those wicked people professed to be Christian and went to church.
The picture of the owner did Pharrell in
@@jillmortlock8439- so true, never forget.
Slavery continues today, whether it’s forced child labor, sex slavery, etc. There’s nothing we can do to right the wrongs of the past (other than examine their stories and learn from them) but there are opportunities to get involved in the present against injustice.
What was wicked was selling your people into slavery. That’s how it all started.
This was the first time I have ever seen Pharrell not smiling, and looking like he was about to fight someone. And I understood the anger he was feeling
Quite the Oxymoron for the man who wrote a song called "Happy" and made us all happy with that to not be smiling.
Watch the full episode....gets worse
so u think he should fight the people today who had nothing at all with this history?
@@DanielUnk No, that’s not what I meant at all. And I’m not going to bother to explain it to you
Credit when it is due - what a distance has the US travelled from what it has been 200 years ago. I bet Pharrell's ancestors would be so proud of him, especially in the light of the suffering and injustices that they went through. Yanks in general can be proud of their country and it's progress.
How special to be able to read the words of your ancestors, but also tragic to see what they went through, and all for survival, their own and that of their families. And you realise it's because of them and their struggles that you are here.
I’m so happy Pharrell has had so much success. I’m sure his ancestors are smiling down at him. ❤️
Yes👏🏾💯
Jamie Smith I was thinking the same thing They would be so proud of Pharrell Wow
He sold his soul for the white man so i don’t think they would be proud
@@kiddgemini2068 where you there when he was selling it? Show us your prove....and your own soul is still intact right? Bigot.
@@kiddgemini2068 the African Tribe leaders that sold them would disagree.
Salves actually lived till the 1930s. That is insane. That's literally just yesterday. And they want black people to move on
@@rainsong7327 shut up.
@@rainsong7327 Sometimes the pain of the past is the fuel that drives the desire to succeed .
@@rainsong7327 a great country?
Very true
@@rainsong7327 Great country? Babylon is going down
Its crazy to see someone from the mid-late 1800s look so much like someone from 2023.
Hey Bob. Many thanks for taking the time to comment and learn more about Pharrell's own family history. There is nothing quite like old photographs to transport us back in time and reveal both similarities and differences between the generations. We hope you make great progress in your own family history project should you ever choose to launch your research. Please let our team know if we can ever assist you in anyway. 🌳
Wow this is big. To let Pharrell and other celebs to know these things allows us to get into their personal lifes and see how they feel away from their industries. Ty for doing this!
This was heartbreaking. To know you are still carrying the name of cruel slave owners, it's just a life altering experience. My heart goes out to Pharrell.
What i dont understand,about names..i would not carry name of slaveowners..i would hav changed it..made up a name ..like brown..it would b brownlee or something..dna can help trace family now..oprah had it done yrs ago,named countries of her heritage...
Also,how do people on slave ships be identified that drowned at sea by storms etc...is there a record of sales in africa..or better yet stories..??.
Hello Heather, how are you doing. I was in the comment section and I came across yours I was thrilled to say Hello
You can always change your name.
I changed mine. It was about $700, but it was worth it
"you're not a machine" I would have broken TF down right there....
I almost wish this had been done off camera, so that he could have had privacy. They could still share the story, but allow him a chance to digest this truth.
Heartbreaking 😢😢😢 i would like to read up more on the project his aunt helped work on.
Absolutely heart wrenching.
I had a neighbor 100yrs old in the 70’s. Her parents were slaves. She still took the trash to the curb into her 90’s.
That's disgusting, no one helped her? Wait if her parents were slaves, was she born into slavery or after they were freed?
@@theactualtruth4951 slaveey continued. in secret when it “ended”
Cry and be angry. There’s nothing wrong with feelings. My grandmother told me stories of her life and I never cried when she was alive, but after she died I cried a lot about how she suffered. I did feel angry on her behalf but more than anything I felt sorrow.
Bro was trynna force some tears to gain some sympathy and pity LOL
Don't be silly. If whites can cry about the holocaust
@@2mac_mini952 like you're spamming this comment for attention? lol
almost all people had it far worse than people today do,m but the homeless of today with no food to eat or place to sleep will have their history to leave.
this is amazing. simply amazing. i would love to be able to go get those ancestors, bring them back and show him what a good guy this man is, and what her determination to carry on has allowed
Thank you for sharing this with us. ❤️
How shocking for him.Would have loved to hear more about the daily lives of Pharrell 's ancestor Jane,as the detail brings to light just how much they endured.
If you pause the video at 0:54 you can read some of it even though incomplete. The violence detailed is horrific.
It’s fascinating to hear his unique name along with his 3 times great aunt’s kids boys names
Exactly I was thinking the same thing
Names are generally passed down.
Young kings!
I thought I was the only one who peeped that. Ferro,Fenner and Pharrell are eerily similar especially since there are 100+yrs between them.
I feel like this was made up as far as his aunt story and the children names. How and why would her Monster oh I mean her master allow her to name them after king's?
Always loved Pharrell as an artist. There is something calming and soulful about him.
Thanks so much for stopping by Garrett, we hope you enjoyed the video!
His reaction to hearing that his family was born into slavery was very chilling. We have been taught that’s what happened, but for him that’s his family. They are the reason he is here today, and he was so much stronger that I believe I could’ve been with that kind of reality. What a waste of human life, and a disrespect of human life. This is why I tell my students History is so important. We have to look at the mistakes that were made and learn from them. We have to do better, and we have to love better.
This broke my heart for Pharrell 😢💔 💔 💔
Some time after taking the ancestry dna test, man from Nigerian decent contacted me. Turns out he was a distant cousin of mine. It was very painful to realize that some of my ancestors were enslaved in the Caribbean. It's a very bitter pill to swallow, but I try to be grateful because they were the survivors and I would not be here if they didn't survive.
Hello Ann, how are you doing. I was in the comment section and I came across yours I was thrilled to say Hello
Hey maybe we are related alot of Nigerians were brought to Barbados.
@@shanellemoore2414i believe all my carribean brothers/sisters who've been there for at least 200 years are truly my distant cousins.
You wouldn't be here either if they had not been made slaves. You ever think Abt tht. I'm not saying you would have been born in the motherland but not born period. Your parents grandparents or others of your ancestors would never have met and hs children.
@@hellooutthere8956 so true. i am grateful for the greater purpose in life that brought me here now, no matter how easy or difficult the circumstances.
Cry if u need too ! It’s ok scream if u need too ! Let’s just makes sure history don’t repeat it’s self
Amen
Horrifyingly, many republicans want to make people be slaves again.
@@angelataylor5241 No, they do not. Flat out lie used to control. Remember, the slave owners were democrats.
Whhhaaaaattt???? You THAT gullible? Naive? Or you a troll??
@@angelataylor5241 oh stop.
There’s a phase that’s always stuck with me and it is ‘“you are your ancestors wildest dreams” and it’s true for everyone . Everyone’s existence has been a history of struggle ,life , death and survival.
anywhere a extended version of this?
Thanks for watching Finding Your Past, Onur. This show is presented by PBS and they run reruns from past seasons nearly every week, usually on Tuesday evenings. We can also recommend checking out their website to see which episodes may be available to watch in full at your location, link here: www.pbs.org/weta/finding-your-roots. We hope this helps a little and wish you all the best with any of your own family research!
I love how polite and courteous he is even under those intense emotions, and pondering the words he just read and thinking of what his family went through.
Black. American. DNA history Is thunder deep. Fritzed up on the Big Ernest and big Cynthia tip Jeremiah. 13:23
He said it. "What It Means To Be African American" Something many do not get the history behind. You may move on... but the history of it, cannot be erased. We continue to learn.
The whole basis of modern society is built off of all different kinds of slavery, how was Rome built? How were the pyramids built? Etc. May I remind you there are slaves of all races still enslaved today. You’re literally fine. Shut up.
@@killtheZOG "Shut Up" Reported To KZhead. Have a nice day.
@@killtheZOG edgy kid
Why do African Americans act as if their history begins with Trans Atlantic Slavery? Why not look at where you really are from before it happened, and that history and culture before it was robbed and stolen. There lays the real treasure, gems, and heritage, and culture. Slavery was an interruption to the history, not the story, why always focus on the one-page interruption instead of the whole book? His family history is not the story of slaves. That's one paragraph in a whole book so why stop and start there? A DNA test will tell you exactly the answers, and the place it says you are from is your real culture, story, roots, and identity, and this applies to Caribean people too.
@@turiguliano416 because they love to have something to complain about
This broke my heart & made me cry. I can’t imagine how he felt.
Hi Faith, thank you for watching!
I just decided to trace my family history/heritage and just read some of the slave narratives in my local library before watching this video and this brought back how hard it was to even read those interviews, I had to stop reading them as it was just too hard! Many of them barely knew how old they were but always knew where they were born and who their “owners” names were. Smh 🥺 One story resonated with me but I’m trying to find out if they were in my family or not as they had the same last name as my Grandfather! Exciting yet devastating!
“Incidents in the life of a slave girl, written by herself” by Harriet Ann Jacobs is a very illuminating book.
Such a great book. Her and her brother were amazing
@@bebaruiz03 I always remember how long she had to hide/live in that attic.
I own a copy . I think I bought all of the slave narratives
Yes. I start to shake whenever I hear stories told from the mouth of our ancestors.❤️
Thank you, I was just going to search for her name.
The pain in his eyes...we can all relate to that!
So grateful for this
Knowing that through their suffering you got the chance to achieve so much, when they had so little. Be proud man! Stand tall! You honour your lineage! You live the life and opportunities that they hoped their children's children will have thanks to their survival. You are their dream, you are their legacy. Thanks to you they will never be forgotten.
Hi, Sorin. It was great to hear from you. His ancestors would be delighted to see his success.
Very profound and emotional ...words.
This hit harder than anything I’ve seen in awhile brotha
yeah this comment really teared me up. love. big love.
What is so great and legendary about making music and being an entertainer? Nothing. It's one of the lowest of things you can truly do when you think about it, as your construction and contribution to society is useless, just mere entertainment. What would happen if all the actors and the musicians of the world disappeared or did not exist, nothing. What would happen if all the road cleaners of the world disappeared or did not exists? A lot. Back in her time being an entertainer was seen as worse than a sell-out, like a dancing monkey to please white people as amusement to be able to get slighter better treatment, make them money, and entertain their friends. Don't put such enthesis and 'greatness' into something that doesn't deserve it, all because the TV told you it was 'important' and a 'great' thing to be. Don't make music artists and actors your prophets.