Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Why Fear Is Driving the Current Era of Racial Backlash

Рет қаралды 65,408

Күн бұрын

Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is a renowned historian, author, scholar, filmmaker, and is the Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University. This week, Gates joins host Charlotte Alter and reflects on his formative years in the working-class mill town of Piedmont, West Virginia, his early education during the pivotal era of school desegregation, and his experiences watching the civil rights movement unfold in America. The pair delve into the power of genealogy, as Gates shares insights from his groundbreaking series "Finding Your Roots," and discusses how uncovering family histories can provide profound understanding of American heritage, individual identity, and the interconnectedness of all people beneath the surface of skin color. In discussing Gates’ latest book, “The Black Box: Writing The Race,” the pair unpack the significance of "checking boxes” in today’s shifting landscape of racial discourse and cultural identity, the history and future of affirmative action, and how the backlash to America’s first Black presidency has impacted how Gates teaches African American studies. Tune in for a deeply informative look into the narratives that shape our understanding of race, history, and ourselves.
Read more: time.com/collection/person-of...
Subscribe to Person of The Week on Apple Podcasts ►►: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Subscribe to Person of The Week on Spotify ►►: open.spotify.com/show/7ob6aHm...
Subscribe to Person of The Week on Pocket Casts ►►: play.pocketcasts.com/podcasts...
Subscribe to TIME’s KZfaq channel ►► ti.me/subscribe-time
Subscribe to TIME: ti.me/3E3UCqt
Get the day’s top headlines to your inbox, curated by TIME editors: ti.me/48dFNwQ
Follow us:
X (Twitter): ti.me/3xTVwSk
Facebook: ti.me/3xWI2Fg
Instagram: ti.me/3dO9Rcc

Пікірлер: 232

@judit1783 Ай бұрын

What is not to love about Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr?? Perfect.

@justmyopinion9883 Ай бұрын

I love listening to Dr Gates. He has such humility and wisdom. He is also a great writer.

@floraaranibar7421 Ай бұрын

Dr Gates is an American treasure! He represents the best in the Academia. 😊

@jamesbrown9553 Ай бұрын

❤️🖤💚 Reparations Money Now......He Is Talking Loud Saying Nothing..... 👁️👁️

@tflg3257 Ай бұрын

@floraaranibar7421 Gates is no more than an establishment pet.

@elizabethcooper9552 Ай бұрын

He’s a world treasure. His argument for diversity in economic class is extremely pertinent to my Canada, for example. The history may be somewhat different but racism and its backlash at present is very apparent here too!

@lunarose1066 Ай бұрын

Not fear but greed. They do'nt want to share or be fair. That's it.

@Howardstwein912 Ай бұрын

Exactly and the media is pushing it for their own greed and then asking what the cause it. Ridiculous.

@frederickgriffith7004 Ай бұрын

Well said. That about sums it up.And what is scary is if this Democracy no longer benefits them and only them.Then they would prefer to be rid of it.But that could be a miscalculation on their part. Simply because they may believe that their rights and protections will remain in place at the expense of people that they don't like.

@kiloub Ай бұрын

@@frederickgriffith7004 you're right but I doubt it's a miscalculation. It's probably a 'either my way or let the world burn' type of mentality. I've studied these people and they do not compromise. They don't care if they burned in the process. They're weird like that.

@frederickgriffith7004 Ай бұрын

@@kiloub It funny you say that because I had a late neighbor who was born in Germany.1930.Member of the Hitler Youth.He once warned me."The Flames of Hatred if not stopped,at some point consumes everything in its path.Including those who started the Fire."He also made the observation that it is usually the most marginalized of people who are the ones who saves those who wield the most Institutional power from themselves.If their voices are rendered silent in any society.Then it is a danger to us all.

@kiloub Ай бұрын

@@frederickgriffith7004 yes, your late neighbor is 100% correct. Basically these people consumed by hate, have a destructive form of mentality shaped by their childhood traumas that they never overcame. It consumes them in a way that blocks any external positivity or help, fearing any emotions that might connect them to lost feelings and a potential second traumatic experience that might completely destroy their fragile constructed new egos. They have power so they try to shape the world in their own internal image which is suppressing connectivity and positivity and destroying what remains in fear of it fighting back what they have become. They'll probably get defeated by a newer more informed generation, but maybe not just yet 😅

@kingleo8422 Ай бұрын

I love the teachings of Professor Henry Louis Gates, jr 💯✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾

@mayrav1155 Ай бұрын

Thanks for allowing us the honor of hearing from Dr. Henry Louis Gates, a very inspiring, sophisticated, illustrated person! 💖

@sallytedesco2192 Ай бұрын

I ❤️ Finding Your Roots. Henry Gares is an excellent host. 👌 His credentials are impressive and he is just a lovely human being. God bless you Professor Gates 🙏

@Heartcoachtalk Ай бұрын

Dr. Gates deserves all of the praise and accolades he receives. Thank you for helping us unlock and find our roots. You inspired me to find my 3rd great grandfather, Jack Hutto, born in Africa around 1780 died in South Carolina around 1880. This rich history has been a blessing to me and my family♥️ Thank you Dr. Gates🤴🏾💪🏾❣️

@calebmcgowan2493 Ай бұрын

What part of SC?

@Heartcoachtalk Ай бұрын

@@calebmcgowan2493 Barnwell & Bamberg counties

@calebmcgowan2493 Ай бұрын

So grateful you found your roots! Keep the faith Queen 😍

@Heartcoachtalk Ай бұрын

@@calebmcgowan2493 thank you 🫶🏾 I hope the same for you and your family ♥️

@donaldnewman5836 Ай бұрын

All I see him is doing white people ancestors history. I'm sick of hearing about the rich people in his stories . Do they pay for it? I wish he would find some poor people sometimes because we don't have the money and some of us would like to know about our ancestors

@timnewman1172 Ай бұрын

What a lovely conversation... I have a huge respect for Dr Gates, it ony expanded more after your interview!

@MonaeMalome-dq6ru Ай бұрын

I LOVE THIS Gentleman and his beautiful work.

@bobzimmerman1282 Ай бұрын

Thanks for this important interview. I think I’ll go right out and buy “The Black Box”. I love “Finding Your Roots”; I try to never miss an episode. I myself am pigmentally challenged, but applying that 99.99% rule, I’m both proud and humbled to call Dr. Gates my brother. We need to keep these conversations alive.

@user-ql5yb2hs2p Ай бұрын

Such an inspirational man. Calm, well educated and speaks well. So nice too!

@bethfinne3260 Ай бұрын

Could listen to him speak all day. Love watching Finding Your Roots. 🎉

@robinboyko2080 Ай бұрын

I was thrilled to find this interview in my KZfaq suggestions this morning! My husband and I watch Finding Your Roots every week. I'm a family historian, and genealogy is my hobby. I'm ashamed to say I never knew of Henry Louis Gates Jr. before Finding Your Roots. He's such an intelligent man, and I enjoyed hearing his thoughts on race and ethnicity. And now I'm off to order a few of his books! Oh, PS, Dr. Gates, watching the regular, non-celebrity people on Finding Your Roots is just as interesting!

@neuropsychroberts8922 Ай бұрын

Robin check out his series Many Rivers To Cross. There's so much history we never learned in school. Enjoy!

@lamartinezola8507 Ай бұрын

....and Black Americans are very good at spreading racial propaganda. Hatred

@newpilgrim Ай бұрын

A man of reason...thank you, Dr. Gates and thank you TIME for providing a platform for reason and civil discourse.

@robynrains7252 Ай бұрын

On of my favorite episodes of Finding Your Roots was LeVar Burton. Love finding out more about Dr Gates early life 🩷💕

@theretroactiveband Ай бұрын

Great interview. Henry is a great guy and I’m glad I was made aware of him. I hope his new book explodes in popularity. In my opinion, we all need to get that message into our brain once and for all.

@susanr5546 Ай бұрын

Excellent interview. Dr. Gates is one of my great favorite researchers and just fascinating to me. 99.99% the same. I love Piedmont, West Virginia, like so many of our fellows, hard working people in a town that was a community, carried themselves with dignity, and were well regarded and treated each other with respect. He is one of our national treasures! His humor is also delightful!

@rosemarieroberts9168 Ай бұрын

As a West Indian teenager I read Ebony etc which was available in the Public Library during the 1970s . Later I read about Rosa, Martin, Malcolm, Nelson etc that guided me as a Mother of 2 sons who ensured they read about Rosa etc. We have to make the hardships of our Ancestors proud of our accomplishments to date.

@reedykat30 Ай бұрын

👏🏾👏🏾 Bravo!!! This man should be celebrated for being such a scholar and amazing teacher. He brings so much joy to those Finding their Roots. Well deserved, Sir.

@jodithomas9303 Ай бұрын

Love Dr. Gates! Great interview!

@elizabethpresleyhazard2348 Ай бұрын

Glad I found this video! I love Henry Louis Gates Jr ~ Good stuff! 🥰

@cjfl1962 Ай бұрын

in the deep south in Louisiana where I'm from, we had a lot of hate when we integrated in 1970.

@kathydauz9956 Ай бұрын

I laud & applaud all of the comments about Dr. Gates; I love this man! I love his heart, his caring for others, his intelligence, his faith, his humor. I started watching Finding Your Roots a couple of years ago bc my little sister in TX (I am in So CA) has been devoting many hours in trying to solve a maternal family mystery. (My sister discovered that our grandmother’s NYC birth record is incorrect; her birth name was put on the wrong birth certificate. Her mother was Jewish, emigrated from Eastern Europe & was unmarried & had only one child. Our grandmother wouldn’t give our mom any info about her background or bio father). My sister has been working on this mystery for several years, despite her busyness being married & raising/homeschooling 4 children. I help her as I am able (I retired at age 60 in 2014). My own children are 1/2 white, 1/2 Filipino. I enjoyed this podcast immensely & would love to hear Dr. Gates in future podcasts! ❤️

@kshyne Ай бұрын

I'm 37 I've been watching you for years. I've always been interested. Especially for Jamaican Caribbean history

@OnlyLoveCan38 Ай бұрын

Emmett Till was tortured.

@JulieSkinner777 28 күн бұрын

Wow! We’re born the same year! I have so much respect for Dr. Gates. I never miss Finding Your Roots and love it immensely, especially since my dear grandfather immigrated from Greece.💙🇬🇷

@barbarabooth4955 Ай бұрын

Thank you for having Mr Gates

@sunnymoondog Ай бұрын

I've always wished Dr. Gates was my dad or grandpa.

@lollolowski8956 Ай бұрын

I love him

@rosemarieroberts9168 Ай бұрын

Keep up the excellent work

@claramitchell746 Ай бұрын

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for this interview. I cannot wait to read The Black Box.👌🏾🙏🏾🌺

@janicetribueburnette5893 Ай бұрын

I loved the interview. I felt so refreshed inside listening to Dr. Gates ' conversation😂🙂.

@maxyogi Ай бұрын

Thank you.

@jaelo2314 Ай бұрын

WOW. Thanks for letting me sit in on your conversation

@sunnymoondog Ай бұрын

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 I could listen to him all day.

@junemorkin6336 29 күн бұрын

Thank you for this interview, it’s been wonderfully interesting learning about Mr. Gate’s life. My husband and I enjoy watching Finding Your Roots very much.

@christienelson1437 Ай бұрын

I have only great respect for Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. and all he has gifted to others. His family and foundation have always made him an exceptional,Intelligent, hardworking, honest human. His spirit has always shined through him and I am proud to have learned from him. 🙏💕🙏💕

@sjones2088 Ай бұрын

Congratulations Dr. Gates

@subobing3551 Ай бұрын

That was great! I love Dr Gates and we watch Finding Your Roots religiously. My partner and I are really into geneology and it is what bright is together again after 40 years! I love learning about Dr Gates and find him a really great man. I live in NO VA and if I’m in the Piedmont area soon I will visit the town.

@deidreshepherd3776 Ай бұрын

This was an amazing conversation.

@sherrellbigbie2291 Ай бұрын

I love all of his programs 💕💕😍

@brendagrant9382 Ай бұрын

Yes He is!! Congrats!! A fan of his show!!👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

@kimberlyross6688 Ай бұрын

I absolutely love Henry Louis "Skip" Gates! He's brilliant and erudite. Anytime Wole Soyinka calls out your gifts and future, you're a force to be reckoned with.

@christinestangeland7771 Ай бұрын

Love this man, classy and brilliant, what a treasure.

@janellejames8815 Ай бұрын

Loved this!!!

@claramitchell746 Ай бұрын

Truly wonderful!!!

@Ai-qx9gb Ай бұрын

Dr. Henry Louis Gates - a National Treasure and a necessary & great American.

@LilliLamour Ай бұрын

Well deserved 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

@doloreswilliams6826 12 күн бұрын

I enjoyed this podcast. I was born 1951 in NYC. I went to school with kids from around the world.

@JMoroccoMisterBoy Ай бұрын

Tks., much appreciative.

@ozdaniels2051 Ай бұрын

He should be Man of the Year

@PhoenixToluwa 27 күн бұрын

He is one of my all time black living legends !

@bethparker1500 Ай бұрын

I love it, treated like a little prince.

@tandt7694 Ай бұрын

Except for eating in the same hangout spot or dating their children...

@marilynclarke6092 Ай бұрын

The absolute Truth! Fear is doing the driving because we all are aware of what's going to happen "soon and very soon." 🙏🏾♥️🙏🏾

@tammielynn8273 Ай бұрын

Terrific interview.

@ganczha Ай бұрын

My favorite person and show!

@BrandonTWills Ай бұрын

This guy’s story is amazing, but I’m 10+ minutes in & haven’t heard a thing about “Fear Driving the Current Era…” Very frustrating.

@medusagorgon8432 Ай бұрын

Yes! That world is gone! Humans must move forward progressively. Looking back and trying to implement life of the past just does not work. A lot of issues we face today were created in the past. We must look forward, and work towards a future that works for everyone.

@petrifiero-akselsen6290 Ай бұрын

Henry Louis Gates is an inspiring individual. I learn so much whenever I listen to him. Long Live HLG!!!

@filmladyproduction Ай бұрын

Time Podcast. He also needs the Nobel Peace Prize if he hasn't gotten it yet. Hopefully this coming year. His resume is inspiring and impressive and one to model.

@yuriajones Ай бұрын

I've always liked Dr. Gates and I found this to be an interesting discussion. One thing I didn't agree with though, was his statement about "affirmative action being reparations". I think that's a problematic way to look at access to elites spaces such as college/university campuses. Reparations should be given across the board to all among the harmed party. However, affirmative action doesn't work that way. Minority students still need to achieve grades that make them eligible for those colleges, and for most who come from poor communities, they'll never match up. In fact, the recent SCOTUS case that saw affirmative action struck should be a sign that AA can't be used as a form of reparations.

@orchidpanda2253 Ай бұрын

If people want reparations, then people need to stop voting for politicians who vote to increase military budgets by tenfold b/c we already spend billions and instead spend it on reparations or free health insurance -- that'll benefit millions of black and Latino people who still cannot afford healthcare... and it's only gonna get worse as AI displaces workers.

@nj3195 28 күн бұрын

Love Dr Gates!

@Getouttovote Ай бұрын

I love him 💕💕🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

@marilynfoster5279 Ай бұрын

Great, Great, and Greàt❤❤❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

@yeshiworkgashu3192 Ай бұрын

He is American treasure ❤

@victoriavillaleyva4558 24 күн бұрын

A person I admired and respect.

@dr.debbiewilliams4263 22 күн бұрын

Congratulations!!!!!!

@chriswhiteiii 28 күн бұрын

Thank you for the carpet ride to the paper mill town Dr. Henry Lewis Gates’ family grew up in. Loved hearing a mentee and mentor have this conversation together. Can definitely relate from how my parents raised me, in an upper middle class area here in Northern New Jersey.

@JernellWells 27 күн бұрын

He is absolutely a wonderful teacher and human being

@rhondalight70 Ай бұрын

I never made it to college, but I am so glad Dr. Gates shares his knowledge with all of us. He could always still put a pool table in Ellie's room and teach her how to shoot pool!

@marcellacole6132 Ай бұрын

Thank you Mr Louis gates for sharing the truth 😅😅

@b991228 Ай бұрын

As a campaigner for Barack Obama I used to sometimes get guff for advocating for a black man yet like them I was lily white. When Barack Obama was elected president these people that had accused me of being a traitor argued with me that he really wasn’t really all that black. I guess that illustrated to me that our whiteness, blackness, redness, yellowness or whatever is a social construct. It’s how you and I choose to identify each other. As my school teacher told us all in science class we should all find the thrill in being able to embrace our kindred African ancestors.

@tandt7694 Ай бұрын

It really bothered me how the narrative completely ignored the fact that Barack Obama had a Caucasian mother and grandparents who were his primary caregivers growing up. Very unfair IMO.

@robynrains7252 Ай бұрын

Worth listening to 😊🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

@gloriathompson6606 Ай бұрын

I would love Professor Gate to do my family tree. My father never knew who is father was. I was born in Hamilton, Ala. to a land holding grandmother.

@Bklyn112 Ай бұрын

Who wouldn't! However you can do it yourself with the assistance of groups like the Afro American Historical and Genealogical Society. They are national organization and Dr Gates is affiliated with them in someway. They have chapters all over the country.

@tandt7694 Ай бұрын

Go to familysearch. You can do it yourself if you're know names of anyone as recently as 1950. You check those 1950 census records for clues that lead you to previous census. If you already have names of ancestors prior to 1950 you can start with an earlier census. You can also get good clues from death certificate records. You will be amazed at how much of all our family history the Mormons have collected. It's something remarkable when you find new ancestors that you had never really thought about.

@user-uh6sr3du8x Ай бұрын

Why does my taxes pay reparations to Israel and Ukrainian farmers but no one will say blacks Americans should not be compensated

@orchidpanda2253 Ай бұрын

Exactly. If people stopped voting for politicians who send money to Israel and who keep increasing the military budget by billions, there would be money for reparations, free healthcare, education, etc... Americans are so clueless about how much of their taxes go to building more weapons and creating wars to justify building more weapons.

@johnclay661 Ай бұрын

Exactly!

@ellanina801 27 күн бұрын

I appreciate “finding your roots”. It makes it feel more tangible. I’m 38, but i have questions about my ancestry. I know what I’ve been told, and by who…

@tracyclark7560 22 күн бұрын

Mother and father worked together for the benefit of their boy children. Daddy must have been so proud.

@Peter-oh3hc Ай бұрын

First time listening and first time I have heard of a school integrating before Brown. What would America look like if that had been the norm?

@marcellacole6132 Ай бұрын

DR,DR GATES BLACK AND PROUD TO BE !!!

@user-td1fi6vu2t Ай бұрын

In the metropolitan Detroit area in the 70's the Lions share of black folks worked in the auto industry and had both dad and mom in the home . I remodeled a lot of their homes. Most said they couldn't find black contractors that new what they were doing or could trust. I had good relations with them as customers and people.

@kraykray4446 Ай бұрын

I do not think Dr Gates realizes the effect he has had on American Culture. Maybe his contribution won’t be felt for generations but I feel it now.

@michaelfant4052 Ай бұрын

@kraykray4446 Yes love history of times and now. Roland Martin gives excellent info too.

@i.am.navkaur 29 күн бұрын

"We are 99.99% the same." I need to use this as my mantra when I visit the US next.

@user-td1fi6vu2t Ай бұрын

For the most part Mr gates does a good service for history. The message should be that all immigrants had a tough time in the working world. We had sweat shops and child labor and " company stores. The Democrats need to learn from history and not rewrite it for their own agenda.

@mattrainey7120 Ай бұрын

Why are that not a visual feels like listening to the radio

@seandail1 Ай бұрын

It's a podcast.

@paulosdula6922 Ай бұрын

Herr Doktor Heneric Gates, did you get Tripose in part I and Ii in English literature in Clare College, Cambridge? Inquiring mind wants to know.

@sfviris5582 Ай бұрын

❤

@LKonandupward Ай бұрын

Hmm, saw this last week and decided to listen today. Thank goodness there are all types in this world. Something is off to me. Seems like prof gates seems to be over the moon with all the whiteness of his heritage and that of his daughter and grandchildren. For the record, date/marry/procreate with whomever you choose.

@davanmani556 18 күн бұрын

I would like to see if James Taylor would open up to him.

@terenzo50 Ай бұрын

I'd say an unreasoning fear aka phobia.

@user-uh6sr3du8x Ай бұрын

She is right

@agoogleuser4356 29 күн бұрын

I put down my race as human. As a high school freshman in Biology class I learned that race was a construction and still you could look at skull dimension ratios and faces and see the variety of origins. Later in my life I noticed that in the black community.

@nuffsez5625 Ай бұрын

The point @ 27:40

@stonepony2285 Ай бұрын

😢

@FootPrintsUC 26 күн бұрын

Truly fascinating. Why did Mr Gates skip what "faith" he and his family practice that fundamentally inform their values and world-view?

@moralfortitude...2217 Ай бұрын

as a youth, WE question the, WHY of the situation & only to be told: that's just the way it is & stuff that makes absolutely no sense, only tends to make US want to try/do it even more...such as dating/love individual's/person's of a different color... ❤

@Honeybaby428 Ай бұрын

🌺🌺🌺🌺🌟🏆

@dab7553 Ай бұрын

"LONG LIVE THE ABORIGINAL "BLACKS" OF NORTH AMERICA. Those who Dr. Gates "knows" have been reclassified numerous times with the latest reclassification being African American. Silence is betrayal, complicity is unforgivable." - The Ancestors.

@sknmwms6516 Ай бұрын

I saw him drive an old school 3 on the column in one of his series with Isabel WILKERSON. IT WAS A REAL NICE CAR!

@Ah-LeeSays 22 күн бұрын

The schools are not preparing the children in the same way they did in the 60s…Affirmative action is grading on a curve that is not benefiting us at all. His example is only applying to Ivy League but not everyone wants to go to those schools anyway.