Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Actor · Born September 16, 1950 · Keyser, West Virginia, USA

Biography

Henry Louis "Skip" Gates, Jr. is an American historian, literary critic, filmmaker and public intellectual who currently serves as the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University.

Acted in 4

2020s

2022
Making Black America
TV

2010s

2019
Watchmen
Skip Gates · 2 episodes
80

2000s

2005
The Colbert Report
TV · 11 Seasons · Documentary · Comedy
80

1980s

1989
The Simpsons
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (voice) · 1 episode
84

Produced 14

2020s

2026
Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History
Executive Producer
2025
Great Migrations: A People on the Move
Executive Producer
2024
Gospel
Executive Producer
2022
Making Black America
Executive Producer
Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches
Executive Producer
2021
Civil War (Or, Who Do We Think We Are)
Executive Producer
The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song
Executive Producer
Black Art: In the Absence of Light
Executive Producer
76

2010s

2019
Who Killed Malcolm X?
Executive Producer
74
Reconstruction: America After the Civil War
Executive Producer
Reconstruction: America After the Civil War
Executive Producer
2012
Finding Your Roots
Executive Producer
80

2000s

2009
Looking for Lincoln
Executive Producer
2003
Let the Church Say, Amen
Executive Producer

Wrote 9

2020s

2024
Gospel
Writer
2022
Making Black America
Writer

2010s

2019
Reconstruction: America After the Civil War
Writer
2017
Africa's Great Civilizations
Writer
2016
Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise
Writer
2012
Finding Your Roots
Writer
80

2000s

2009
Looking for Lincoln
Writer
2004
America Beyond the Color Line
Writer

1990s

1999
Leaving Cleaver
Writer

Created 2

2010s

2019
Reconstruction: America After the Civil War
Creator
2013
The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Creator

Appearances35

2020s

2026
W.E.B. Du Bois: Rebel With a Cause
Self
Black and Jewish America: An Interwoven History
Self - Host · 4 episodes
2025
The Gettysburg Address
Self
Great Migrations: A People on the Move
Self - Host · 4 episodes
2024
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. - The Fabric of America
Himself
Gospel
Self · 4 episodes
Gospel Live! Presented By Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Self
2022
Frederick Douglass: In Five Speeches
Self
2021
The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song
Self - Host · 2 episodes
2020
John Lewis: Good Trouble
Self
America's Great Divide: From Obama to Trump
Self (archive footage) (as Henry Louis Gates) · 2 episodes

2010s

2019
Reconstruction: America After the Civil War
Self
Reconstruction: America After the Civil War
Self - Host · 4 episodes
Today with Jenna & Sheinelle
Self · 1 episode
2018
America's Library
Self
2017
Not Black Enough
Self
Africa's Great Civilizations
Self - Presenter · 6 episodes
Birth of a Movement
Self
2016
Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise
Self - Presenter · 4 episodes
13th
Self
84
2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self · 1 episode
69
2014
Nas: Time Is Illmatic
Self
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self, Self - Guest · 1 episode
67
2013
The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Self · 6 episodes
2012
Finding Your Roots
Self - Host · 127 episodes
80
2010
America: The Story of Us
Self · 5 episodes
76