Viola Davis always felt connected, even if she didn’t know much about her mother’s ancestry from South Carolina. reveal “Find your roots,” thanks to the DNA test.
With the help of show host Henry Louis Gates Jr., growing up in Rhode Island, Davis learns that his maternal grandfather kept a secret about his father from the rest of the family.
As it turns out, Davis had two potential fathers. was mentioned.
Davis, 57, was intrigued by the news and clarified that his mother had never mentioned the discrepancy before.
“Isn’t that silence funny?” Gates asks her.
“Silence has always been interesting to me,” Hoshi replies.
Historical records show that Henry Logan’s mother, Corinne Ravenel Logan, married Gable Logan in 1912. When Davis’ grandfather, Henry Logan, was born in May 1920, the couple married. We were together.
Still, their marriage does not prove that Gable Logan was his biological father.
Another record from 1919 shows that Gable Logan served in World War I. Upon returning to America from service in France, Gable Logan lived with his wife. There is “no evidence” that he returned to South Carolina, where he had lived.
Naturally, the question on Gates and Davis’ minds at this point is: If Gable Logan never came home, who was Henry Logan’s father? Was it John Young?
When the show’s host asked the actor for her take on the situation, she shared the following insight.
“I think Colleen got bored, cut off, and went with someone else while[Gable Logan]was away. And I think it was a very short-lived relationship.” she says.
In 1920, the year Henry Logan was born, Census data showed Corinne Logan lived with her parents down the street from Young, who was married.
With the help of DNA from Davis’ mother, the “Finding Your Roots” team set to work and discovered that Henry’s father was in fact Young.
in short? Davis’ grandfather was likely the result of an affair between Colin Logan and Young, between Henry Logan and his wife Mauser Logan, who had Davis’ mother, Mae Alice Davis. There were “at least” 18 children, including
“From the moment I emerged from my mother’s womb, I knew I entered this world with a big old baggage. I am an amalgamation of many stories and many secrets,” she said in response to the news. increase.
Colin Logan died when Henry was six years old. Young and his family eventually moved to North Carolina without Davis’ grandfather.
After sharing this news, Gates asks Davis if he thinks Young’s relationship with his great-grandmother had anything to do with his family’s decision to move.
“Absolutely. I have to bury the secret,” she says.
Davis suggests that Henry Logan must have felt “abandoned” and possibly labeled “unwanted”.
Learning about her grandfather’s childhood has renewed Davis’ appreciation for his struggles.
“I think we all want to create a past that benefits us and our fantasies. “I like stories that are uplifting. This is a troubling truth,” she says.
In the episode, Davis also learns about one of her ancestors who was born into slavery and was forced to fight alongside her owner’s son in the Confederate Army.
“It hurts my soul. It really does,” Davis says.
At the same time, Davis says he’s proud of what his family has come to.
“I am proud because I think that I and many of my family have broken a generational curse, because we are bold to dream big and live through the dirt and filth and trauma of childhood. I wanted to dig deeper and make our lives better…my story is different and I’m proud of it,” she says.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com