This series is about researching a family history. It does so with well known people, but the diversity being found using well known people can apply to anyone or everyone. Family Skeletons are often found in well known people.
There is a thing about skeletons. Think about your own family, why have relatives you grew up with kept secrets from you? Often families do not expose their children to family issues because they are too young. Sometimes they did not want to reveal family shame. Some things they will not talk about.
Over time, values change as society evolves. How often do we still shield our minor children from adult issues? It happens all the time. I have known people who suddenly find out that their parent was born from an illicit relationship years after they grew up. I have known others who suddenly found out their wife had a child before they even met them. When it comes to ancestors, well this series found that Glen Close and Princess Diane were actually distant cousins. And so much more...
I can not say enough accolades for this series. They do a lot of hard research, go as far as they can and often reveal what past generations have hidden. Is it important work? Yes, and the host is brilliant presenting it. Even though the main guests are always celebrities, their histories illustrate all the issues that everyone has. This show proves often that some of the legends have pasts that are haunted. Just imagine what else could be proved because celebrities are just the tip of the issue.
Suppose many of the people who should watch this are the Slavery Reparations people? Before any Slavery Reparations are paid to anyone, their lineage should be thoroughly examine like this series does to be sure they should really be getting a payment. Not every black man was a slave in the past. This series has shown this many times over. In fact, some blacks in history were actually "slave owners". Now should we be paying slave owners Reparations? Absolutely not. Should we be paying for a past that is proven only by word of mouth, or even be paying someone for past happenings they are using for their own gain?
There is also another side to paying Reparations, some white people and some Native Americans were slaves. Where do we draw the line on this issue? The only way to do this fairly is to make everyone who receives a payment prove their ancestors were slaves. This program illustrates that is not as easy as it seems, and takes a lot of work. Of course even paying current people whose ancestors were slaves should include all races and colors.
This series has surprised people many times about who their relatives really were. Suppose many of the activists who are requesting these payments are opportunists who have no proof any of their ancestors were slaves at all? Suppose everyone even involved with these reparations should be required to watch this pbs series? Suppose slavery is proven to be much more diverse than " activists think"(oxymoron alert)?
Watch this series and learn about this issue through others eyes, often they are much more complex than is ever presented, at least until these issues are revealed here. This series is about understanding the our past.
There is a thing about skeletons. Think about your own family, why have relatives you grew up with kept secrets from you? Often families do not expose their children to family issues because they are too young. Sometimes they did not want to reveal family shame. Some things they will not talk about.
Over time, values change as society evolves. How often do we still shield our minor children from adult issues? It happens all the time. I have known people who suddenly find out that their parent was born from an illicit relationship years after they grew up. I have known others who suddenly found out their wife had a child before they even met them. When it comes to ancestors, well this series found that Glen Close and Princess Diane were actually distant cousins. And so much more...
I can not say enough accolades for this series. They do a lot of hard research, go as far as they can and often reveal what past generations have hidden. Is it important work? Yes, and the host is brilliant presenting it. Even though the main guests are always celebrities, their histories illustrate all the issues that everyone has. This show proves often that some of the legends have pasts that are haunted. Just imagine what else could be proved because celebrities are just the tip of the issue.
Suppose many of the people who should watch this are the Slavery Reparations people? Before any Slavery Reparations are paid to anyone, their lineage should be thoroughly examine like this series does to be sure they should really be getting a payment. Not every black man was a slave in the past. This series has shown this many times over. In fact, some blacks in history were actually "slave owners". Now should we be paying slave owners Reparations? Absolutely not. Should we be paying for a past that is proven only by word of mouth, or even be paying someone for past happenings they are using for their own gain?
There is also another side to paying Reparations, some white people and some Native Americans were slaves. Where do we draw the line on this issue? The only way to do this fairly is to make everyone who receives a payment prove their ancestors were slaves. This program illustrates that is not as easy as it seems, and takes a lot of work. Of course even paying current people whose ancestors were slaves should include all races and colors.
This series has surprised people many times about who their relatives really were. Suppose many of the activists who are requesting these payments are opportunists who have no proof any of their ancestors were slaves at all? Suppose everyone even involved with these reparations should be required to watch this pbs series? Suppose slavery is proven to be much more diverse than " activists think"(oxymoron alert)?
Watch this series and learn about this issue through others eyes, often they are much more complex than is ever presented, at least until these issues are revealed here. This series is about understanding the our past.