Mean Streets
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the family trees of comedian Tracy Morgan & actor Anthony Ramos—two native New Yorkers whose roots stretch to surprising places and contain inspiring stories. Moving from the Canary Islands to battlefields in Europe & Asia to slave plantations in Virginia, long-lost records reveal ancestors who laid the groundwork for Tracy and Anthony’s success by fighting to survive.
Previews + Extras
Mean Streets Preview
S10 E8 - 32s
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. maps the family trees of comedian Tracy Morgan & actor Anthony Ramos—two native New Yorkers whose roots stretch to surprising places and contain inspiring stories. Moving from the Canary Islands to battlefields in Europe & Asia to slave plantations in Virginia, long-lost records reveal ancestors who laid the groundwork for Tracy and Anthony’s success by fighting to survive.
Anthony Ramos Traces Roots Back to Ninth Great-Grandparents
S10 E8 - 6m 5s
Anthony Ramos learns about his father's mother, and her roots back to his ninth great grandparents.
Tracy Morgan Discovers His Jewish Great-Great Grandfather
S10 E8 - 4m 58s
"It's like getting knocked out."
Tracy Morgan reflects on the mystery surrounding his great-great-grandfather's identity and his relationship with his great-great grandmother, Viola.
Tracy Morgan Discovers a Pre-Civil War Freed Ancestor
S10 E8 - 5m 46s
Surprisingly, Tracy Morgan's third great-grandfather, Wiley Warton, was listed by name in the 1860 census, indicating he was free before the Civil War -- a rare occurrence for black individuals at that time.
Anthony Ramos' Ancestor was Enslaved by Conquistadors
S10 E8 - 5m 13s
Anthony Ramos' 15th great-grandfather, Andrés de Llerina, an indigenous person from Tenerife, Spain, faced hardships due to the Spanish conquest, being driven from his land and enslaved by a conquistador named Fernandez de Lugo.
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