What an amazing legacy!
Sheryl Lee Ralph has spent her career giving voice to stories that matter. But on a recent episode of Finding Your Roots, it was her own story that moved her to tears—and reminded us all of the power in knowing where we come from.
In the April 1st episode of the acclaimed series hosted by Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., the Abbott Elementary star learned new truths about her paternal lineage that left her visibly emotional, NBC News reports. Ralph discovered that her ancestors on her father’s side hailed from North Carolina, where many of them were once enslaved. But amid that history of oppression, there was a powerful revelation.
Her great-great-grandfather, George Thomas Ralph, was listed in a North Carolina census before the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863—evidence that he, and his mother, were free.
“He became a farmer. Raised a family. And perhaps most impressively, somehow found a way to obtain an education in his old age, despite having been denied one as a child,” Gates shared during the show.
That moment shifted something in Ralph. Fighting back tears, she said, “I come from good people, and I come from people who never gave up, and kept right on. They plant the seeds that are still growing now.”
One of the documents presented showed that George Thomas Ralph had signed an apprenticeship agreement with a white farmer. Though he was offered food and shelter in exchange for his labor, the contract originally included, but later crossed out, a clause that would’ve granted him the right to be taught how to read, write, and cipher. Still, he found a way to pursue education later in life, defying the systemic barriers designed to keep it out of reach.
With tears turning into joy, Ralph looked up at Gates and laughed, “I’m a free man’s child. Yes. Yeah, that’s me. Sheryl Lee Ralph.”
The episode not only spotlighted Ralph’s extraordinary family history, but also featured renowned historian Lonnie Bunch, adding layers of insight to the experiences of African Americans whose stories are too often erased or overlooked.
By honoring her roots and sharing her pride, Sheryl Lee Ralph reminds us that Black excellence isn’t just about where we are—it’s about where we’ve come from, the sacrifices made, and the seeds that continue to bloom through generations.
Cover photo: Sheryl Lee Ralph Gets Emotional After Learning Her Ancestors Were Free People on ‘Finding Your Roots’/Photo Credit: Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr./Instagram