Henry Louis Gates, Jr. explores the deep Mexican roots of talk show host Mario Lopez and comedian Melissa Villaseñor, uncovering ancestors stretching back to the 1500s.
Finding Your Roots “Mexican Roots” airs Tuesday, September 24 at 8 p.m. on WXXI-TV.
Weaving together stories of migratory farmers, Spanish Conquistadors and Native Americans, Gates conjures up personal histories of diverse, sometimes conflicting, elements.
“If our contributions were written back into history textbooks, can you imagine how America would see us?’ says Leguizamo. “More importantly, can you imagine how we would see ourselves?”