A Peek at the Upcoming “Finding Your Roots” Television Series

The following teaser about the upcoming “Finding Your Roots” PBS series is from a good story published in the July 17, 2011 edition of ReadingEagle.com:

The story begins with John Henry Schuker, a German immigrant who was living in Berks County in 1728.

Where it ends won’t be known until sometime next year, when the new series “Finding Your Roots,” begins airing on PBS.

The PBS crew that began filming the Berks connection Friday with local genealogist and historian Philip E. Pendleton wouldn’t say anything about where the Schuker story was headed.

In an email, PBS production manager Rebecca Brillhart stated that the series is about the genealogical heritage of prominent Americans.

If the Berks story becomes part of the series, the prominent person would be a guest on the show.

Even Pendleton, who was filmed in the research room in the Berks register of wills office, didn’t know who that person might be.

With the camera rolling, Pendleton explained how he uses wills, property records and other historical documents to research a family with American beginnings prior to the Revolutionary War.

Hosting the 10-part, hour-long series will be Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., a Harvard University professor who drew public attention when police mistakenly arrested him for breaking into what turned out to be his own home. He later had a beer with President Barack Obama and the arresting officer in what became known as the White House Beer Summit.

Read the full article.