Who Do You Think You Are?

[Tilden]

When Stephen Colbert was on Faces of America, his tests came back with 100% European DNA. Skip Gates said it was unusual, but not unheard of. I'd be surprised if there was any African blood on my family tree - we're the whitest, bunch of WASPS ever....and I've gone back pretty far on the tree. I'll be surprised and pleased if, when we finally do the DNA tests, there's African DNA.

I'm not a big Reba fan, but I'll be watching tonight anyway.

Oh, honey, I'm half Norwegian and half northern German. If I were any whiter, I'd be translucent.

But yeah, the word mulatto should have made it clear that it was possible that Blair Underwood had European ancestry too, though it's quite possible that words like mulatto just got thrown on the record of anyone who looked as if they had a white ancestor too, as opposed to someone knowing for sure that they did. They also said that 25% European wasn't unusual for an African-American. In fact, it's about average, often due to the number of slave women who were sexually assaulted by their white masters and who had their children as a result. I thought Blair Underwood was just surprised that it was likely French/Swiss ancestry, because he'd always been so drawn to France.

[Critical]

Oh, honey, I'm half Norwegian and half northern German. If I were any whiter, I'd be translucent.

My heritage is all over Northern Europe - The Netherlands, Germany, the UK, France, Switzerland, Belgium, Poland. I joke that my mom is so white, she's blue!

But yeah, the word mulatto should have made it clear that it was possible that Blair Underwood had European ancestry too, though it's quite possible that words like mulatto just got thrown on the record of anyone who looked as if they had a white ancestor too, as opposed to someone knowing for sure that they did. They also said that 25% European wasn't unusual for an African-American. In fact, it's about average, often due to the number of slave women who were sexually assaulted by their white masters and who had their children as a result. I thought Blair Underwood was just surprised that it was likely French/Swiss ancestry, because he'd always been so drawn to France.

That's the impression I got too. It wasn't the fact of the white ancestors, but where they were from that he found surprising.

[Tilden]

I'm the person everyone wants to stand next to in the summer, because I can make anyone look tan. I don't even try to tan, because I don't--though I can turn bright lobster red if I'm not careful.

Just because we'd discussed it before, I thought it was interesting that they went into Reba McIntyre having a slave-holding ancestor who apparently bought and sold children. I had the same first thought she did when she found out that ancestor's grandfather had been an indentured servant at age nine and had probably worked beside slaves in the same fields: did his grandson understand that his grandfather had been in a similar situation to the children he was buying and selling, though he, at least, had the possibility of eventual freedom? I realize that at the time, his grandfather (if still alive) might still not have seen slaves as fully human, but I also wonder if there's the possibility that he might have been more able to see them as humans and not just slaves because he'd worked more closely with him than others. Of course, sometimes familiarity breeds contempt too, but I'd like to think that it didn't in this case.

Oh, yeah, and for those who keep track, I did hear Reba say audible thank yous three times. She may have been thanking others too--I noticed she shook a lot of hands and was sometimes talking to the people and possibly thanking them simultaneously, but the voice over kept us from hearing what she was saying--but she definitely said thank you at least three times. I also thought it was interesting that she apologized to Thomas when she realized that he might have felt the best thing he could do for his son was send him to America, even though it was inconceivable to her to send a nine year old off that way.

[Critical]

Maybe I'm being nitpicky, but it drives me crazy that they say "three times great grandfather" instead of "3rd great grandfather," which is how I've always seen it in genealogical sources. I guess it's better than Ashley Judd and her "triple great grandfather" nonsense, but it still bugs me.

I guess we had our question answered about what would happen if a celeb had slave owners on their family tree. I thought they handled it well and Reba wasn't an apologist about it. I did find it ironic that the slaver's grandfather had been an indentured servant.

At the beginning of the search, when Reba used Ancestry.com to find census records, I thought they made it look too hard. She didn't find the husband's name in the search and she didn't just search for the wife instead? Those census records are all indexed so, if she was on the census, the record would have come up. Also, Ancestry's search does allow for variations in spelling, so the extra "s" shouldn't have been a problem. Most of us don't have the luxury to just hop on a plane when we don't find the information online right away! Still, I guess it's not as interesting to watch someone doing internet searches! I was surprised though, at how many times Reba was directed to search online databases in this episode.

[Miss Scarlet]

I was amazed at how far back in the family tree she had to go to find someone who was born somewhere other than in the US. I think it was back in the 1600's.
That's REALLY far.
She's about as American as a person can get.
Seeing that it was her Mother's family she was researching, I wonder how far back her Father's ancesters go in America.

[JunkieGirl]

Maybe I'm being nitpicky, but it drives me crazy that they say "three times great grandfather" instead of "3rd great grandfather," which is how I've always seen it in genealogical sources. I guess it's better than Ashley Judd and her "triple great grandfather" nonsense, but it still bugs me.

I guess we had our question answered about what would happen if a celeb had slave owners on their family tree. I thought they handled it well and Reba wasn't an apologist about it. I did find it ironic that the slaver's grandfather had been an indentured servant.

Yes, the 4x and 6x grandfather bugged me too.

As to the bold, was Reba the first one?

Couple of questions. I have found some relatives on Facebook, but I'm not sure how to explain them. Sometimes I've seen, especially with cousins--cousin 3 times removed. What does that mean? I've talked to my grandfathers brother's grandchildren. So they are what? 3rd cousins?

[Critical]

Yes, the 4x and 6x grandfather bugged me too.

As to the bold, was Reba the first one?

Couple of questions. I have found some relatives on Facebook, but I'm not sure how to explain them. Sometimes I've seen, especially with cousins--cousin 3 times removed. What does that mean? I've talked to my grandfathers brother's grandchildren. So they are what? 3rd cousins?

I think she might be, but I'm really not sure. Does anyone else remember another slave owner on the US version?

I just checked Family Tree Maker and my cousin - the granddaughter of my grandfather's sister - is my second cousin. Her father is my first cousin, once removed. He's my mother's first cousin. It's my understanding that the "removed" is generational.

[Kiz]

Maybe I'm being nitpicky, but it drives me crazy that they say "three times great grandfather" instead of "3rd great grandfather," which is how I've always seen it in genealogical sources. I guess it's better than Ashley Judd and her "triple great grandfather" nonsense, but it still bugs me.

I ever knew "3x GGF" was wrong. To give myself the benefit of the doubt, maybe it's a regional variation rather than being plain incorrect. lol But, I'll work on it.

[Tilden]

At the beginning of the search, when Reba used Ancestry.com to find census records, I thought they made it look too hard. She didn't find the husband's name in the search and she didn't just search for the wife instead? Those census records are all indexed so, if she was on the census, the record would have come up. Also, Ancestry's search does allow for variations in spelling, so the extra "s" shouldn't have been a problem. Most of us don't have the luxury to just hop on a plane when we don't find the information online right away! Still, I guess it's not as interesting to watch someone doing internet searches! I was surprised though, at how many times Reba was directed to search online databases in this episode.

Sometimes I think they include information about things like different name spellings as prompts for people in the audience who might be looking for information in other ways than on data bases. After all, they want their audience to keep coming back and the more useful information they can provide, the better.

Also, depending on how far back one is looking, information on women isn't as easy to find, because they weren't regarded as important enough for records to be kept on them. There are tombstones, for instance, that list the man's name while the woman is merely listed as "and wife."

[Critical]

Sometimes I think they include information about things like different name spellings as prompts for people in the audience who might be looking for information in other ways than on data bases. After all, they want their audience to keep coming back and the more useful information they can provide, the better.

Also, depending on how far back one is looking, information on women isn't as easy to find, because they weren't regarded as important enough for records to be kept on them. There are tombstones, for instance, that list the man's name while the woman is merely listed as "and wife."

Since she was looking at the 1910 census though, that wouldn't have been an issue. Maybe if the next census back was 1840 (where they only listed head of household), but not 1900. I think they likely just wanted her out in the world instead of on the computer.

I just found it odd that her search turned up nothing, because Ancestry's system allows for alternate spellings. I've read on other sites that people have done the searches performed on the show and the results aren't the same. I wonder if there isn't a bit of manipulation going on to speed up the search on camera OR to make Ancestry.com look easier.

The UK version has done several little "how-to" segments and I think that would be a really nice addition to the US version. They could even do little ones at the commercial bumps instead of the previews of what's coming up.