According to Finding Your Roots host Henry Louis Gates Jr., Edward Norton was the most well-versed guest in their family history who has appeared on the PBS series, but the Glass Onion star was still taken off guard to find out that historical figure Pocahontas is his 12th great-grandmother.
During the Season 9 premiere, Gates Jr. said his researchers uncovered a “direct paper trail” leading to the marriage certificate between Virginia settler John Rolfe and the indigenous woman. “I understand that was family lore,” he said. “Well, it is absolutely true.”
Gates Jr. continued, “John Rolfe and Pocahontas got married on April 5, 1614. Shakespeare dies in 1616, just to put this in perspective. Pocahontas died sometime in March 1617 in Grave’s End, England, and John Rolfe died around March 1622.”
“This is about as far back as you can go unless you’re a Viking,” Norton responded. “Makes you realize what a small piece of the whole human story you are.”
You can watch the clip below. The full episode is available here.
Pocahontas was the daughter of Tsenacommacah chief Chief Powhatan and served as the inspiration for the 1995 Disney animated film of the same name. In 1613, Pocahontas was captured during a war between English settlers in Jamestown and Native Americans. Her marriage to Rolfe is credited with ending the First Anglo-Powhatan War.
Elsewhere in the episode, Norton learned his third great-grandfather, John Winstead, owned a family of slaves, according to the 1850 census of North Carolina. “The short answer is these things are uncomfortable, and you should be uncomfortable with them, everybody should be uncomfortable with it,” Norton said. “It’s not a judgment on you and your own life, but it’s a judgment on the history of this country and it needs to be acknowledged first and foremost, and then it needs to be contended with.”
Julia Roberts was the other celebrity guest to appear on the latest episode of Finding Your Roots. Besides learning her biological last name is actually Mitchell, the actor found out that she and Norton share a distant cousin.
Roberts was also not surprised to find out her Southern ancestors owned slaves. “It just seems very typical of that time, unfortunately,” she said. “You can’t turn your back on history, even when you become a part of it in a way that doesn’t align with your personal compass.”
Through a direct paper trail leading to Pocahontas and John Rolfes’ 1614 marriage certificate, @EdwardNorton learns that his family lore appears to be true. His 12th great-grandmother is Pocohantas!
Tune in TOMORROW night on @PBS at 8/7c for the Finding Your Roots premiere!! pic.twitter.com/54sTTt2YKY
— Henry Louis Gates Jr (@HenryLouisGates) January 2, 2023
