African American Lives (2006)

Documentary · History

African American Lives is a PBS television miniseries hosted by historian Henry Louis Gates, Jr., focusing on African American genealogical research. The family histories of prominent African Americans are explored using traditional genealogic techniques as well as genetic analysis. Gates has written an associated book, In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary African Americans Reclaimed Their Past, which was published in early 2009.

IMDb rating: 7.3 (210 votes)
Episode average: 3.8 -3.5 vs IMDb
Seasons: 1
Language: EN
Type: TV series

Rating trend: this show's seasons do not settle into one shape. Rising Shows ranks whole shows by the shape of their rating trend rather than one average score, which is how you find a show that got better rather than a show that started well.

Browse shows by rating shape → Open in Rising Shows app → View on IMDb

Ratings refreshed Oct 3, 2026 · 1 season indexed

Seasons

Season 1 (2006)

3.78 avg 4 episodes 3.9 → 4.0 53 min avg

Season 1 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Listening to Our Past	3.9	28
2	The Promise of Freedom	3.4	35
3	Searching for Our Names	3.8	29
4	Beyond the Middle Passage	4.0	27