Famed African American Harvard professor now seeks his Irish roots

Niall! The real nine hostages were the nine counties of the province of Ulster, (subsequently reduced to the six counties of 'Northern' (?) Ireland), so as to manufacture consent for part of Ireland being held as ransom against Ireland as a whole pulling out of the 'United' Kingdom. Anyway guys. Huamanity's geneaology is retraceable to a fossils of a female skeleton found on the central African savannah some time ago So we're all really pasty-faced Africans. Geronimo was right: "White man speak with fork tongue."

@George: Go raibh mile maith agat. Tá an ceart agat! Rinne mé botún.

Now why would anyone want to know that their grest-great grandfather was a serial rapist and have that presented on a television documentary?

I think what makes this a "troubling mystery" is that Gates's relationship to Niall's scion is through a master-slave relationship. Since Jane wasn't a free woman, it is very likely this wasn't a consentual relationship.

'As Irish as Irish can be' I think he means because of Niall.

One great, great grandfather and Gates says he's as "Irish as Irish can get." Oh, really? I don't think so. Talk about exaggerating. I'd never say that about myself and I have many more documented Irish ancestors than Gates does. I think Gates has a big ego.

Ethinic and racial sponging, cloying and parasitical positioning wantonly "needed" for personal comfort-identity is a ludacrous farce with minimal reality. However, specious and mundane triviality can be spewed forth in today's culturally deprived society. No less by an academic whose porous "career" is on the edge, than by any breathing organism. The contention to such self-serving/seeking voices should be inherent rejection postulated on one's freedom to disregard showboaters and those in desparate need of attention and headlines.

give me a break....this website is getting worse than the National Enquirer

It isn't unusual for African-Americans to have white blood; most do. It also isn't unusual for American Indians, especially the Eastern tribes. In fact, some American Indian tribes have disappeared, but their DNA shows up in white Americans.

He's as Irish as Irish can be'?? Did the author get paid for writing this bollocks?. I find lending creedence and page space to this, way more insulting than those T-shirts or the drunken hoardes falling about the streets of Hoboken. Whose next, Rodney King or Herman Cain. Please install some kind if IQ test before letting these people loose with a pen, or have a topless 'Page Three' section like the rest of the gutter press. Thanks.

faber!: "Anois, caithfidh tú an nGaeilge a fhoghlaim a labhairt". Not quite, it's an Ghaeilge.

This guys an ass. If no one had bothered to call the cops if someone was breaking into his house, he would have cried racism. He should be grateful that the police took the time to make sure he was the homeowner. I would have told him and Obama to stick their beer up their asses.

Great. I welcome Prof Gates into our extended family. I too am an O'Neill from a couple generations back on my mother's side. In fact I am a distant cousin of Sonny O'Neill, a name that will be recognized by those familiar with the history of the Irish Civil War.

It baffles me why we institutionalize racist prevaricators who perpetuate victimhood. We even give them fancy titles and degrees in their field. Tenured, they are free to brainwash generation after generation with the, "it isn't fair mentality". Instead of teaching a worthhwhile craft to young people for which they can go out into the world and be productive. He teaches a culture that can only exist in the artificial world of academia and fuels the victim mentality in America. We are hanging ourselves with our own rope.

I also am researching my family histories, both my father's family in Ireland, and my mother's family in Vermont. My paternal grandmother and my maternal grandfather are the most difficult to track. Sadly, I waited too long in one sense in that many of the people who had first-hand information have passed on. Despite serious political differences, I wish Professor Gates the best in finding his missing ancestors.