Issa Rae’s Dramatic Family History Is Like a “Soap Opera” | Finding Your Roots | Ancestry© 

Were you as blown away discovering your family history as Issa was? Share your experience in the replies!

Most black slave owners bought their family and friends as a means to keep them safe and often freed them. Check out the slave narratives and the slave memoirs in the Library of Congress. It's a very interesting experience to read and listen to these people life story from their view.

Issa could turn her actual family history into a compelling drama

She is so beautiful. Her complexion and bone structure. Just vibrant. 👑👑⚘⚘⚘

Her complexion is perfection. 😍

And that's only her mothers side. Her father is Senegalese and for sure has interesting stories within Africa

I'm a 39 years old Black American, last year through Ancestry I found that My 6x grandfather was a Patriot in the Revolutionary War, I had 7 ancestors including two grandfathers who fought for the Colored Troops in the Civil War. I have free Black ancestors on the 1820-1870 census in Wayne County, NY. So many other amazing finds in my story but these were the most profound.

Wow! She's a member of the Charbonnet family, they have a strong prominence in New Orleans.

I am of Haitian descent. I just recently found out after Haiti won independence alot of French and slaves moved to Louisiana because it was still owned by the French. I clicked on this expecting Haiti to pop up and what do know. It definitely makes you look at how connected we are.

Issa always leaves me in awe. She’s just that woman. I look up to her. She makes me proud to be who I am🫶🏽

As a person of New Orleans creole descent, this is similar to a lot of our family histories too. My family has been in New Orleans for hundreds of years and before that Haiti. I never knew how I and my city were connected to Haiti until I researched my family tree.

I Love Issa Rae!! She is a straight shooter and strong Beautiful Woman!!

This is what I like about Dr. Gates and this show. Family history shoots straight from the hip. It can't be talked away; it is what it is. It's a leveler for all of us.

It was her face expression when she found out her great great great great grandfather was white. Girl your not alone my face would of dropped

Would love to hear her Senegalese side as well💛

You guys are gonna think I’m weird but I always get told I look just like Issa by friends & strangers alike. Oddly enough my mom’s family is from Jeremie (where one of her great grandfathers was from) and her mom looks almost identical to my mom, except her mom’s from Louisiana and my mom’s Haitian. I’m thinking there’s some kind of relation somewhere. This is wild. 🤯

Issa's father is Senegalese which was a former french colony. Its interesting that part of her heritage didn't come up.

Ever since I found out that there was much more of a connection between the black folk of New Orleans and Haiti, I keep hearing about people who are connected to both, and Issa is just another example. History is so interesting!!

Her family story is some what my story. Her Grandparents Joyce and Ralph are my grandmother Laura Ives Williams first cousins. Amazing!

Since her mother’s side is Louisiana Creole, she should look into records from the Catholic church. Also more than likely a lot of her ancestors didn’t speak English so she might need someone to interpret. This is similar to Ava Duvernay’s family story. Fleeing Haiti for Louisiana.

My great grandfather was a Frenchman. My great grandmother was a Khoisan woman from South Africa. On my father's side, my great-grandmother was a slave & she fell in love with a Frenchman & they ran away to an island to be together & eventually found themselves at the Cape of Goodhope, now known as Cape Town.

We all have twists and turns in our history if we look deep enough and close enough.

I knew it! I am Haitian and the names alone started ringing alarm bells. And at 5:07 Saint-Domingue link! Hopefully, Louisiana schools talk about the interconnected history of England, France, Canada, the USA and Haïti in history class.

I love love love this so much for Issa Rae! YES, WE Louisiana Creoles are STILL ALIVE! We're aound da world actually. Our culture still exists and we are unveiling, facing, and rectifying our past and present. Mo lamou nouzòt

Issa, if you're reading this. Please consider turning this into a movie

I just started rewatching "Insecure". If you're familiar with the show, embedded in it is a primetime parody drama with a storyline set during American chattel slavery. And Issa's real ancestry sounds like the makings of a wild story. The irony.

Glad this story came back on. Wish I could find my story.

I completely understand. I’m Creole and a descendant of Acadian, Spaniard, & Portuguese men.

My own family is very similar to Issa Rae’s, it’s amazing. My Dad is Senegalese, like her’s which is why her last name is Diop. Senegal was also a French colony like Haiti but on the continent of Africa. On my mothers side we are descendent from free blacks as well. The namesake was a French man with a black wife, the children of whom had documentation that they were not to be enslaved! I wouldn’t be surprised if the woman was Haitian actually. Pretty crazy. It’s also worthy of note that the descendants of free black families may have fared better than those who’s ancestors were still in bondage.

Incredible, but not shocking! Isa handled it well. Great story!

Yes some black people owned slaves and it was mostly to keep families together and free them.

I remember hearing about instances where freed black people would buy their family and friends to later grant them freedom.

I need these stories to be more long!!

thanks to Ancestry, after 50+ years, my adoption papers were unsealed, I found out I had 2 younger brothers and sisters. I found them a year apart and ever since, the 3 of us have been video chatting on fb and I couldn't be happier! So many holes and unanswered questions FINALLY answered, what an amazing gift!!!!

She is so beautiful. Her complexion and bone structure. Just vibrant. ⚘⚘⚘. Issa could write a Roots movie about her history.

I’m from New Orleans and it’s so cool to me how a lot of us are connected.. especially if you have creole roots. So amazed to see she has roots to a prominent New Orleans family that are still prominent. Love it ❤

This was a great story for Issa and her family to hear about. I enjoyed this video.

Her skin!!! 😍😍😍😍

Executive/Writer Issa Rae. All Love 🧡

Wow, just beautiful!😊 I don’t view Issa Rae as a comedienne, but rather, a renowned film producer, and an actress. Nice French pronunciations by Mr. Gates, by the way.👍

She is so pretty she has the most perfect features . She is gorgeous.

Wow. I wish the genealogy wants so expensive because I’ve hit brick walls on my family tree

Hi! This is such an amazing program😊

Glad you are back. I am graduate school. Welcoming any advice and tips. Glad you are back.

Issa Rae is sooo absolutely stunning just drop dead gorgeous !!! ❤❤❤

Please turn this into a series Issa!

Her mom is creole so seeing all the french ancestry makes sense.

This is an amazing story. All my ancestors were slaves but unfortunately we don’t have many records on them and not for a lack of trying.

❤ the truth is empowering! Bonjou pase yon bèl jounen

I always felt like Issa has Haitian roots for some reason. I just couldn’t find what it was. Her mannerisms, personality, resilience, talent, etc... something about her. Loll 😂 I’m glad to finally know that I was right.😅 Welcome to the family my sister. You were always loved. ❤⭐️🙏🏾🤗🥰🇭🇹🇭🇹🇭🇹

Imagine someone telling you, you can't learn your own ancestry.

Dr. Gates, you're the best. Thank you!

I love this actress. A genius, transmits incredible energy. I want more seasons of insecure!!!

This was actually a very interesting story to listen to it has raised my interest in knowing my family history now.

Issa's Haitian roots are actually French. I wonder if they bothered to trace Amoble's family back to France? Probably not.

I’m from Louisiana, the Charbonnet family owned a very successful funeral home. The building is still there on Claiborne and St. Bernard street. It’s across the street from the historic Circle Food store, which got its name from the shape of the building.

I love Issa Rae. She’s so gorgeous. I enjoyed this so much 🥲💕🔥

Great video but I need to know what foundation Issa uses!

Issa could write a Roots movie about her history

SO BEAUTFUL!!!c Her makeup is FLAWLESS!

I need Miss Rae to write up something cause wow 🤯

What about her senegalese heritage on her dad’s side? It would be interesting to know more about that as well.

Similar to Issa's story. I am half Caribbean (my mom side are from Antigua) but when I was younger I didn't understand where my last name came from ("Eudelle") which is French. Now that I am older, I did research and spoke to my mom and she explained that my great grandfather was a white French man born in France then migrated to Antigua in the 1800s he was also a slave owner. This information was confirmed recently by my cousin when he visited Washington DC historical records. My cousin made a copy of it and showed it to us and it completely blew my mind. It showed my great grandfather and the name of the slaves he owned 😳😳 Look we are all mixed no matter if you want to admit it or not. It is what it is and I like my last name and will never change even after marriage 😊

This was beautiful and we Love you Issa❤

Fascinating!

Love your show!

She already knows who she is, she’s the actual accurate epitome of “African American”. She’s like first or second gen. It’s the indigenous Americans that gets African results that baffles me.

Hi edagdwg God bless this special story of what happens when you are blessed to know the truth about your own family stay strong and enjoy your life. God is always around taking care of his children life is soooooo real Linda j. Peace

oh her history is super fascinating

I would really like to know my ancestry. It is so fascinating how people dont usually know much about their past.

Imma need Issa to turn this into a movie or mini series

I'm always in awe of this woman's beauty.

Amazing

Interesting thing is that there is an area in Haiti named ‘Beaulieu’. And I see that one of her family members has that last name.

Senegal’s Issa Rae❤

Wow, just awesome!

Nice!

Issa came a long way..!!! 👏🏾👏🏾

Her skin is like creamy Hersheys milk chocolate. Just flawless.

2:52 her reaction hilarious 😂😂😂

Love love Issa Rae!!

Very interesting since she got married in France where her ancestors come from !

She is so gorgeous to me

Issa is in every commercial and movie every time I look up😁

How do you watch full episode?

That's crazy! Issa you need to put this on screen girl!

You guys should watch a portugués soap opera call chica da Silva. Is quite the story.

I am so happy that I saw this, because for years I kept saying that my cousin looks just like Issa. Their look is quite unique…. My family is from Haiti.

I know a few Charbonnets and Beaulieus in Nola. Very popular family names out here.

each new revelation gave me whiplash

Wow good to be able to find documents that old

Beautiful Issa ❤❤

Wow!

She should make a movie about her families history

I actually had no idea whatsoever that there had been Black slaveowners!! To say that my mind is blown is a total understatement!

I wish these were longer. Is there a full version we can watch anywhere else?

Love her ❤

Well, I am quite desapointed you didn’t mention at all her Father’s roots directly from Senegal. Why ?

Welcome 🙏🏾 Issa. 🇭🇹 I knew you were family! 🇭🇹

She also has Spanish ancestors! (i think) i read the name Victoria Morales I think it was her great grandmother. 🤯