Shirley Ballas Uncovers African Heritage | Who Do You Think You Are

[@trishlong8835]

What I couldn't grasp is she kept saying about having black ancestors and wanted to know where they were in her tree even after seeing the photo which you could clearly see the man was black.

[@Gladiator0719]

He was a mulato... white & black mix...the best of both worlds

[@missbeauitful4696]

My husband is mixed race & are younger kids especially the youngest looks whiter then me.

[@lcb-]

@@Gladiator0719 - he was Malay from the Dutch East Indies, mixed with South African black and European (British, Dutch)

[@randomvintagefilm273]

I'm sure she knew but for the show purposes they like to build suspense and intrigue

[@vobgreat]

Unfortunately you can't always go by old photographs. Everyone in my family thought that my 2xs Grandmother was half Native American. When I looked at her photo I thought either she had some Mediterranean or African ancestry. Turns out both parents were from England going back to at least 5 more generations.

[@wadisanaa]

The lady in the Library seems so excited. I mean she cant contain herself. . Bless her heart .

[@amandah.2202]

She’s a Debbie downer forsure

[@missbeauitful4696]

wasn't the man in the pictures black

[@Gulliedoutbigup]

''I dOnT sEe RaCe''

[@Gulliedoutbigup]

@@descendanttravels7639 jokes gone way over your head. Congratulations on trying to make me look like an idiot, but the fact you're just taken a joke seriously... One that is most obviously sarcasm... you've only done it to yourself. Next attempt.

[@basilrodericks7791]

Both men in both pics.

[@KaneneProductions]

@@basilrodericks7791 exactly.

[@MsKittenz1]

@@Gulliedoutbigup That's very annoying to people of color....""I don't see race/color"" (which is a lie anyway...of course you do!)🤔 😶 if God didn't intend for you to see color/race He would've literally made us all the same. I see color/race EVERYDAY....and so what?

[@lifewithcamille517]

Correction: Africans are the original land owners since the days of Adam and Eve. The Dutch, British, and Portuguese invaded their territory...

[@lifewithcamille517]

@topknotch So, just to be clear... You set up a dummy account just to unsuccessfully troll... Okay, got it.. Night Night 🤣 #Blessyourlittlelonelyheart 😂

[@Sachi52]

Funny that you say...from the days of Adam and Eve.

[@candacebeater8203]

@@lifewithcamille517 👏👏👏

[@candacebeater8203]

@topknotch you are the one who is 1000% and I mean 1000% incorrect. Troll.

[@LibraGoals]

Facts only

[@lifewithcamille517]

Glad to see the lady was even interested in exploring her African ancestry. Sadly, I see people find out they have African ancestry and try to overlook it just to claim 1% Native American.

[@DefectiveWanderer]

Actually, mine got upgraded to 2% awhile back. Yay me.

[@aquilaclark814]

Yes you are 100% right..it was refreshing to see the enthusiasm and sincere interest she had in wanting to follow her african lineage...she is not the typical Caucasian. ..most of them ignore..those facts...but just because you ignore something. ..doesnt make it go away...

[@comfeefort]

I found African DNA .04% some of the DNA relatives have more, including My Mother. I am thinking it is a 4th Great-Grandmother, named Anne Davis, because, on Find a Grave, She is described as Chorokee. If a 4th Great was Chrokee, We would have Native American, which none of Us Do. I'm think Anne was mixed race and claimed She was Cherokee, just to make it easier. I am struggling to get My DNA relatives to accept this.

[@lifewithcamille517]

@@comfeefort Wow, that's intriguing that you found the name of your relative that you believe it came from. It's harder for some older generations to accept African ancestry because of the history. At the end of the day every human being descended from thr continent of Africa. Edit **the

[@rodneyrarick9031]

🥰

[@mlcase]

It was a wrap as soon as they picture of George Rich was shown! I’m just here for the comments! 🍿

[@wanZ...]

Okayyyyyyyy!!!

[@williammazion8047]

🤭🤭🤭😂😂😂💯💯💯

[@vitalean]

😂😂😂

[@teddlynsterling641]

😂😂😂😂

[@lovebucketable]

mlcase 🤪🤪😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@aisensantana6765]

You can clearly see the African in both pictures in the facial features

[@RHWWFT]

Africans are genetically the most diverse.....every hair type, skull shape, nose lips and eye variations....

[@intheed1551]

@@RHWWFT Not, europeans are very most diverse folk, with light skyn or bronzed like in south Europe, all the hair texture, color of hair and eyes, long nose or not. Subsahaarian people look very similar.

[@ms.goodiebones1969]

@@intheed1551 You are delusional, the only pink people that look different have mongoloid or African mixtures. Nice try!

[@Slappys]

In the Ed 😂😂😂😂 what??

[@amycakes6809]

@@intheed1551 No, Africans are the most biologically diverse on Earth..look up info before typing...this info is not just based on phenotype but the African Genotype is also the most diverse. Open your eyes, it's much easier to see that way

[@44contact]

Very very clear from the picture he is of mixed race with African features...come on people

[@nunyabiz6925]

Exactly

[@gloriacruz4834]

Absolutely, one can tell he is of mixed race.

[@mfrost71w]

I spent most of the 2nd half shouting at the TV to answer all the obvious questions they were totally ignoring. Never mentioned that Caroline Otto was unmarried and that her 5 children had no father. Never explored the fact that her master left her, a slave washerwoman, and her children a small fortune, which obviously implies he was the father. A very frustrating programme

[@ttp436]

Mark Frost I did thought the same

[@verneukpan]

as a researcher as well on this program - it was very frustrating when they are not interested what the actual story is - hear hear !!!

[@flowerpower6216]

didnt they kind of suggest that she was the wetnurse?

[@mfrost71w]

Flower Power Not really - they said this was one reason why Malays were used by white families but this was random speculation in relation to Caroline Otto. What was visible in the records they showed on screen but never discussed is that Otto was a slave and then an employee of Isaac de Costa for all the years she was having children as unmarried and that de Costa left her AND her 6 children a house and £600, a fortune in the 1860s. And his legitimate daughter Esther was bridesmaid/witness to Otto's daughter Mary's marriage. I've seen such relationships in the West Indies (and indeed on previous WDYTYA episodes) and it inevitably means a sexual relationship between master and slave/servant. I don't understand why that question was totally ignored here to the extent that it became an elephant in the room

[@LadyBigDraws]

Mark Frost I totally agree the number one father could have been the master

[@marcilenewatkins9274]

These folks slay me.... the pic shows mixed race.....

[@janewhite5033]

Oh no not everyone is mixed race when they are light! This happens all of the time it seems easy to see it that way!

[@amandah.2202]

George rich was very handsome!!!!! Both were holy cow

[@Rony2453]

The genealogist looks bewildered that the woman was interested in her African heritage.

[@SharonBaxter12]

Veronica Vale ~ I thought the same thing!

[@mslissa5793]

I thought this too!!

[@juandavidrestrepoduran6007]

In her defense, probably not used to it. More common these days, due to less shame.

[@kensmechanicalaffair]

Appalled.lol

[@michaeldukes4108]

I think you’re reading your own biases into that.

[@mbaliacamara2708]

The African ancestry is so obvious I cannot believe that even her aunt cannot see it in two of the photographs. You can see the african likeness (nose and lips) in father and George Rich grandfather. The African physiology is designed to cope with the African environment.

[@dianemoonstone4715]

I can understand the need for deep-strength melanin to cope with the strong African sun, but the other physiologies you that you mentioned? For what adaptation are they needed? No disrespect intended at all, just intellectual curiosity in all things. It's provoked me into thinking about other cultures and their evolution. Even science fiction has the no-exercise couch-potatoes eventually evolving into the 'aliens' of Area 51. You know, big head, small, emaciated, muscles-less torso & limbs... But I digress.

[@tonythibault7426]

.

[@adamm.6386]

@@dianemoonstone4715 You will find that as people moved out in to Asia and India, especially the mountainous regions, their lungs evolved to support them while living in those regions. The body itself changed also, to support them in those climates and areas. As the people moved north, futher evolutions happen as features grew "lighter". Hair, facial features and bodies. Not to say they are weaker, but climate and regions have dictated the build needed to survive these conditions along with features. Africa and Asia, even what we now call Eastern Europe, people are built differently because of the extreme conditions their ancestors were conditioned to, to survive. Of course with humans bridging the divide, much more genetic variation has come about, but the features of our ancestors who settled in their specific regions thousands of years ago, still remain constant.

[@guillaumerusengo9371]

You can observe it on the flip side! Since humans came from Africa, the European thinner nose, long wavy hair and lighter skin are undoubtedly evolutionary traits to cope with colder climates. I find southern europeans shorter, broader and stockier than Scandinavians for example.

[@usedbyjesus]

Not all Africans have wide noses or big ears ...I have seen tribal African natives with small narrow noses like usual Caucasian and they are not mixed

[@wendylady2488]

People choose to see (or not) for many reasons. What is obvious to the stranger, is a great mystery to the family.

[@rachybaby72]

??? I'm a stranger and I don't know that that sepia-toned, more than a centuries-old photo is that of a mixed person.

[@aquilaclark814]

He definitely was mixed race..she probably wanted to see how far back the miix was made..

[@guerguistoyanov137]

@@aquilaclark814 👏👏👏Finally, a cold minded person with reasonable and straight logic, aka "common sense"!👍🍻😉

[@EbonyJoneskuye]

The Dutch and British invaded South Africa, not founded as if it was a friendly invasion.

[@shirley9008]

Ebe J. You cannot found something that was never lost or inhabited by others, fgs.

[@muurisoras5878]

@Tina Butterfly Agree . Invaders lies so much that we have to debunk all that we have been taught in our schools.

[@weathamorris4251]

They like to rewrite history!

[@enigma7276]

@Tina Butterfly Every nation regardless of race does it! Read history please.

[@langdale55]

Ebe J. To be fair, the Dutch and British had flags. No flag, no claim. No claim, no blame!

[@maryjanejames8281]

That great gran peppi looks clearly mixed.

[@jaybee608]

What the hell is a grand peppi???

[@cloudygigi2270]

@@jaybee608 that's exactly what I thought! I think that's just the way they talk.

[@lorenzacoleman9210]

The aunt seems to be in such denial. It's amazing to me how something can be right in ones face yet they still ignore the truth.

[@stillwill2215]

she knew, didn't dare say it.

[@stringybeanss]

seriously. she couldn't even say "there's a possibility"

[@equinoxproject2284]

The boxer/sailor was clearly at least 1/4

[@yvonnegwashawanhu2414]

Aunt herself looks mulatto

[@maijaliepa119]

WOW - What a Handsome Ancestor she has. I see his eyes in her eyes - a sparkle. Have not watched entire show - interesting family. Glad she put her family out into the world. My own family has people from all over the world. A gift of humanity.♥️🌎♥️🙋‍♀️

[@MrDFJohnson]

You see his eyes in her eyes? I guess you can see what you want to see. The imagination is a wonderful thing

[@heathermcdougall2399]

All over the world? That must be amazing. I'm the opposite. 87% from just 3 small islands in the Scottish Hebrides, the rest from nearby (by sea) Scandinavia (specifically Norway). Must be wonderful for you. I admit to being impressed - a real genetic "world human being". It must be a great thing to actually be connected to so many peoples and cultures.

[@peggyonean7174]

The most high will put all out , they don't belong there ! And soon reality will be seen the creator is waiting on the day when everyone will return unto their own. Its shall surely come, and it will not tarry. That part of the world were never theirs lm sorry for the sins their fathers has brought upon them, but it's something that should never have happen, you all are not responsible for what your fathers did and neither were us , you should understand is that the creator judges the blood line because what is in your father. Is. Also in you , that land were never yours and your fathers stole that land and you all were never given that land by the most high premmison so it is what it is you read job it tell you that you carried away his precious things , without the people premmison and you enlarge yourselves with all the precious things of his people and made yourself. Rich and he will judge all that carried it away as if you owned it , you can not clame what doesn't belongs to you. So there's no way you can not be judged if he doesn't spare the natural branch you should know that the wild branches doesn't stand a chance . You should have understood that! Everyone has to reap what they have sowed, so change your ways and stop taken what were never yours it always catches up with you at a time when you knows not,! Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

[@evaperez4139]

Shirley has smooth dance step. Love it

[@faafafineartist]

I love how comfortable she is in SA.

[@jayregal6478]

He was a BOXXER!

[@gadzookshardy8158]

She's excited and the face on the lady w information is priceless lol

[@gailjackson-chapman7085]

The other lady looks like she really didn’t want to be part of this. I detect a little uncomfortableness in her face.

[@higherpower918]

She looks mixed to me

[@deeelo5501]

Hahaha I agree

[@337Brian]

Yeah she looks Octaroon..

[@1000shoeswoman]

she look like she was waiting for the bar to open

[@kimwilliams1402]

She looks so upset, and the other lady has some dark features

[@basilrodericks7791]

Y'all can't look at the photographs of the two men, look at Auntie and see the African? Okay, opthalmologist appointment made.

[@renitalake3580]

I mean, LAWD!

[@Glycam]

Lol. Exactly

[@SuperFosterMom]

Her aunt pretty clearly looked mixed to me but 🤷‍♀️

[@kimwashingtonofficial6041]

Basil Rodericks 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@kimwashingtonofficial6041]

Right!!

[@ucheedochie3475]

I am most impressed by the level of documentation that makes these discoveries possible. Great effort. Very impressive

[@denisewilson4789]

Rite.. wish I could find stuff about my family like what these folks on this show finds

[@randomvintagefilm273]

The South African genealogist seemed real thrilled didn't she?

[@lutfurrahman2761]

Showed didn't it

[@shalanathomas7751]

IKR!!!

[@vintagegirlyglam7817]

Yes, for some reason she seemed irritated!!

[@christienelson1437]

ANTIQUEFOTOS Yes, but it is possible that she is extremely uncomfortable being filmed in this circumstance, she may have been forced to appear on the show. They may have had to film this several times to get the episode correct, losing the spontaneity in the scene. It is also possible she has had some horrible backlash from people discovering their own diverse genealogy. Without seeing the whole episode it’s difficult to tell what’s really going here.

[@ash_17406]

She was painful.

[@shannonm.4087]

i love the way old handwriting looks-

[@herbertstokes2046]

The Liberian was very low keyed...Her racism is loud in her emotions and facial expressions without words

[@IamCarrieNotBranshaw]

herbert stokes Yet she’s in Africa, I swear some people be doing the most!!

[@brendabooker1488]

@Jim Elliott 😂😂

[@christreston4510]

Think I was the only saw it lol 😆

[@rebajeanforever3700]

I don't think the librarian is racists, when the lady show the librarian the photo then ask about mix race, she thinking the lady is nuts or blind! Probably thinking .... is she for real! Lol

[@michellesmith8912]

I don't know if it was even that, more like girl what more you want me to tell you- lol.

[@panjabipandit]

I mean....anyone with eyes could see that her grandfather clearly looked mixed. I'm not talking skin tone as it's a discolored photo and skin tone varies throughout the world, but the features themselves clearly point to the African subcontinent. Didn't need paperwork to confirm the obvious lol.

[@renitalake3580]

Looking at the picture of George Rich you have to ask IF there is any African ancestry? 🤨🤔🧐 Is it just me?

[@oluapampa5075]

In South Africa, there are so-called 'Coloured people' ( mixed-race). Her ancestor clearly was one of them. He does have African features. But the picture is so old it clearly doesn't show it.

[@Cereal_kwilla]

@@oluapampa5075 I thought it was pretty obvious as did @Renita Lake

[@redwallz4624]

Looked Indian

[@kimberlytate1931]

Tgat

[@rcafmaintainer3723]

Some families know, but they have hidden that. Her aunt was shaking her head, before Shirley finished asking the question.

[@cordelia81]

thats why she felt connected to the people in south africa immediately while they were singing at the bench

[@joyouknow5385]

You lost me at the Dutch founded. More like invaded...

[@rachybaby72]

I think they literally founded the city.

[@PreferAndroid]

I was thinking the same thing... LMAO.. It never ceases to amaze me how some like to try to clean up history in order to make it more palatable for their descendants.

[@PhantomLyric]

It's a sticky situation. When the dutch came to SA, it was largely uninhabited. Keep in mind the city of New York was literally dirt, rivers, and trees a few centuries ago. The city was in fact founded by the dutch, but no they did not have a right to be there in my opinion.

[@yodae6672]

ジョ or Jo you know That’s Exactly What I Said ! The Actions Of Founded Don’t Match The Definition !

[@ditocerto]

@@PhantomLyric they invaded. Whites invaded Africa, the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, Asia.... whether they found places fool of trees is irrelevant.

[@meliimelii322]

The woman in the library looks uncomfortable 😂😂😂

[@kimerlyhogan6567]

She probably doesn’t like the mixed race issue. She wasn’t at all helpful. As a genealogist she should know ancestry includes ALL ethnicities.

[@shalanathomas7751]

@@kimerlyhogan6567 EXACTLY!!! I was most perturbed by her.

[@francoiswilliams]

@etos butch The big A is back under the ANC it seems?

[@ramonmcgee2240]

I thought the same thing. She seemed upset at the excitement of the woman tracing her ancestry.

[@KaneneProductions]

@@francoiswilliams 😂😂😂😂

[@freedomspromise8519]

I would be absolutely thrilled to discover African Blood!

[@DM-dm9pr]

Idk tho....but I'm looking at the pic, n I'm like hhhmmm.....come on now 😆

[@hannibalbarca4651]

D M.

[@verlenavelinasutton1568]

Found out at age 41 that the debilitating leg and back pain I’d suffered my entire life was because of a bone disease, Ankylosing Spondylitis..... This particular malady in the arthritis family is caused by a gene marker on one of my chromosomes, HLA-B27. When I was growing up in Seattle back in the late 40’s-50’s, I cried telling my mom my ankles hurt. This time of year, she would wrap my legs in warm towels which was the ‘aw’ moment for me. The warmth of those towels really helped with my pain. So on a recent search to learn more about this arthritic condition, I found out the first signs in a child are, you guessed it.......pain in the ankles! Being the Fab chocolate cutie-pie I am, when it was discovered I had this debilitating arthritic disease which is passed on from, wait for it..........ANGLO MALES!!!! Next question posed to me by my rheumatologist and the surgeon was, “where could you have inherited this bone disease.? That sealed the story I’d always heard that I had ancestors from Ireland. So I decided a couple of months ago to do the ancestor spit in the tube kit. Results came back, the African ancestry was a given. But the 12% Irish was a surprise. I’d also heard that my maternal grandmother and her sisters could PASS, so they would go shopping in the finer stores in Dallas and buy items their paternal cousins couldn’t buy for themselves 🐝cuz you can guess why. Even though I had severe pains in my ankles and eventually that led to having a total hip replacement surgery (4 to date), the effects of this disease didn’t finally manifest itself in my lower back til I was 21. So even if I’d had X-rays, it probably wouldn’t have been seen. So I’m a believer in the ancestor kits. Like me, it just may clarify something that you really aren’t sure of about your family tree. And don’t let our dark skin color fool you into believing just 🐝cuz we are dark there couldnt 🐝 anything lurking in our ancestry. Another time I’ll tell you about the surprise I got more than 20 years later concerning my eldest grandchild. For now, take care!🌈💕🦋 Kate, theflutterby from Seattle🦋

[@Villanelle2k24]

My father has that disorder and we were always aware of our Irish slave owner\overseer ancestry for 150 years now. I will have to look into if spondylytis is inherited from Irish whites.

[@jannethwilson9024]

Intrigued about the grandson story. Where can we hear it.

[@MA-yh2ko]

Come on Sis, let's here that story too.

[@mamashiraz]

I too have AS along with other autoimmune disorders. My 23andMe shows North African and Middle East but also Northern Europe…I had no idea that’s where the AS came from!!

[@roseleith]

Amazing story. I took an ancestry test and the results showed that I'm 9.9% Irish, so you have more Irish blood than me!

[@Darksister0922]

Cracking up 😃. Aunt could not see pappy was mixed race.

[@brendaturner5015]

I'm amazed at how they kept all of the information It's like who knew how to do that in the beginning of time

[@TL-yc1nl]

I could see it in the lady that answered the door! We know our own

[@zoniahill2587]

Glad someone else saw it also.

[@vitalean]

T L I thought it was just me. I looked at auntie and I said HMMM

[@debricelewis6786]

I said the same thing ! She looks just like some people in my family .

[@noonecares200]

No she doesn’t 😑😒

[@The461Official]

Watch her dance 😃 Yes Aunty Shirley

[@pineapplesunkist537]

Aunte Barbara looks mixed...

[@Aquaboogie68]

Auntie Barbara looks Creole and can make some mean Gumbo!!

[@maijaliepa119]

Forgot to say: One World One Family. Thank You. ♥️🙋‍♀️♥️🙏🌎🙏🌎🙏🌎🙏♥️🌎♥️🌎🙋‍♀️

[@dianemoonstone4715]

Agree.

[@sr2291]

Really glad they created and preserved the parish records.

[@beatriceblocks600]

Now we know why she is such a good dancer. The rhythm is in her blood.

[@membop6663]

well she looks irish too could be that bit

[@BoringDad1272]

We all can dance! Some just don't try or are extremely reserved.

[@denisearmstrong8246]

Lol😂😂😂

[@Diamondsuite]

That's where the dancing skills come from..

[@shawngatewood3673]

You noticed that too,I thought she was going to back it up a couple of times.

[@l.dmoody8356]

She should be happy, she won't be so hard looking and wrinkled and oh well, in her case it can only be a plus.

[@kimwashingtonofficial6041]

Lolol Right! I said, Really Lady?!?

[@spirit1366]

Funny.but Stop!

[@skyyboy8765]

In these days some peoples don't want to see the Truth. They prefer to believed a lie than the true.

[@SimonTheRock1]

Good video of a woman looking for her roots. But then it'll still lead you to Holland. Just be happy and praise God for being alive.

[@blackorchardz]

My great aunt, was married to an Otto. We are South African, Indonesian/Malay.

[@CatzASMRnMore]

Mark Ballas mother..shes beautiful and full of life...

[@ttp436]

Watched this last night. Was very interesting. It's a shame Shirley did not find any living relatives. Such a lovely kind woman that I am totally in love with. You can see from the facial features of Barbara & Shirley that they definitely have Malay/African/Asian features/blood. Shame a DNA wasn't taken. Such a good episode

[@jaybee608]

The step to the DNA test is too permanent.

[@eileensimon9252]

That woman didn't like shirley one bit at least that how its coming over to me...

[@francoiswilliams]

Maybe u watch too many lez vids bb

[@sodoffbaldrick3038]

Maybe she couldn't believe how dense this woman is, and it was giving her a headache...it's having that effect on me.

[@comegowithmimi]

@@sodoffbaldrick3038 I was thinking the same thing. I would be looking at her sideways too if she kept asking me questions that had obvious answers.

[@nyallconn506]

Ethnicity is a SACRED GIFT. Therefore one’s true identity is NEVER found in their race or class, but absolutely in the Creator and Giver of the gift.

[@vitalean]

Amen

[@krishkrish8213]

God's not real tho

[@michaeldukes4108]

@@krishkrish8213 Yes, He is.

[@Sassysweettea]

​@@krishkrish8213not to you but to many others let people have faith even if you dont

[@moiselles3339]

Unpopular opinion*** That's why she can dance !!!! lol!!

[@idesireit31]

No that's not why she she can dance

[@All.Natural.]

🤣

[@medusagorgon9]

I'm glad she was able to learn so much, but it was pretty obvious from the start where this was going. George Rich was clearly mixed.

[@melissagannon5711]

I knew my great gram. I have a 5 generation photo with mysel as a baby. I feel so lucky to have stories of my far family. Because my great gran had memories of her far family and so on .....

[@terry7697]

Omg the pic gave it away. Really yall can't see

[@carolynevers7924]

I love the cursive writing on those old documents. Kids today are not learning cursive writing and would not be able to read these papers.

[@daveycortez2944]

She is a beautiful woman.

[@kitfrew9983]

Which one , the librarian, or the one whose doing the digging. If it's the one that's doing the digging she has a toyboy that she's crazy about allegedly, I guess the plastics had a hand in her youthful look

[@kimjongun9078]

He's clearly of sub Saharan African descent. African genotype is typically dominant and African features go on for generations, even if it is just one African ancestor.

[@bluejay9968]

Not true

[@dumfriesspearhead7398]

Not always.

[@rodtherichest]

If you all really watched this! You would have heard her say that , George Rich, was mixed. Due to the documentation of his sister being of mixed race!! The had the same mother n father.

[@MJ-hg1mk]

OH! she's a sister. 4:20! ;-) And I'm think she's always felt it

[@lyleeggmolesse5330]

Shirley's Grandfather has the same features as my great grandfather who was English and Irish. I wonder if he may have had African ancestry.

[@barbaralemere5183]

Wow, How did you feel about finding this out Shirley? Your family certainly has traveled greatly in it's history. What an exciting find. I thought the landscape in Capetown was amazing.

[@francoiswilliams]

CT is tops in world

[@austinrichards1740]

Ignorance is bliss it’s nice to see that they’re interested

[@brownin329]

I want to see the whole episode!!

[@sheilacave7132]

Why so little showed on You Tube? It is so incomplete.

[@WhoDoYouThinkYouAre]

Due to rights restrictions full episodes are available on BBC iPlayer. But keep subscribed for more clips and episodes coming soon.

[@lifeofsahani]

@@WhoDoYouThinkYouAre but I can't view the videos on BBCiplayer. Is it only for people in UK?

[@WilliamGarrow]

@@lifeofsahani Most likely as you need a British TV licence to watch iPlayer.

[@hafeeza9878]

the thickness of skin is in milli meters, but pride or shame runs generation deep.

[@shaquannahyoung8981]

So she really acting like she don't see the African in her ancestors?!😕😂 I can't!!!🤦🏾

[@jayregal6478]

I guess it's still true. It takes one to know one.

[@All.Natural.]

😫🤣

[@imeldamayer-taylor2783]

Wow , I have to go there too.

[@everettewade923]

I just found out my great- grand father was Irish. Now I understand why McDonald's sham rock shakes were always my favorite around St. Patrick's Day.

[@aderiusscott2220]

😂😂😂😂

[@aquilaclark814]

Yes I have a couple of great grandparents that are ..Irish ..now I know why I love to knit and crochet so much ..

[@judyrice3125]

Thank you so much .I'm truly addicted to this show.

[@nrct6970]

That woman was not very forth coming.

[@jaybee608]

She looks very uncomfortable, you know why!

[@meb777]

Yep, he was a mixed South African.

[@NJA3421]

Looked like she had a good time learning about her ancestors.

[@kikikekekyky51]

Their pretending not to know and on film blocking it out why is their denial so deep

[@austinrichards1740]

Kiasha Dilworth 😂

[@adrianalainez8499]

If you look at English documentaries they always say that the colonist came or the explores came here or there when speaking about themselves. But when they speak of the Spanish they'll say the invaders or conquistadores. Pure manipulation of words to make themselves seem different. All Europeans invaded America. Like it or not.

[@regina7795]

I see it in the photo clearly

[@pastelshades2860]

Are these people legally blind or something?

[@nancyhoward7005]

Beautiful

[@leticiajerguson1024]

“What does mixed race mean?” 🙄...does that really need an explanation???

[@zebradivine]

First of all, as soon as I saw the younger pic of her grandfather, he was giving mixy quadroon vibes - like, he can pass, but when you tilt your head to the side, you see it - her great grandfather's pics looked like a biracial man to me....

[@eviehanlon1445]

Does no one read the subtitles before they're published? It's worth watching just to giggle at all the stuff ups.

[@marjorjorietillman856]

He looked very handsome and distinguished in his Navy picture!!

[@debrawilliams2781]

THE PICTURE SPEAKS VOLUME

[@Mr.Familiaoah]

Listen Aunty was like you go and discover what you want . I'm fine of what I just know lol lol lol

[@mamatoto5387]

Is there a part two?

[@chelseahulmston9056]

Ohhhh my interest peaked when she said he resided in birkenhead cheshire. I'm from birkenhead!

[@keeya_ks]

Why is the librarian so grumpy ?

[@hendo19742]

HER ANCESTOR WAS CAPE COLOURED OR BROWN PERSON AS WE SAY IN THE CAPE, BRUIN MENS!🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@beverlybalius9303]

The French or Spanish mixed during those times when most Europeans did not. That is why New Orleans is different, it was settled by the Spanish and French, they are still under French Laws there.

[@daddysgirl2381]

No their not its American laws tradition and laws are two different things

[@willmartinez5496]

I hope to find my African ancestry, waiting for the results, thrilled about that.

[@kimwashingtonofficial6041]

Dutch founded? These folk need to stop 🛑

[@davidclinghamable]

There is a St Helena connection here. Rich, Chippendale are surnames from there and many Saints got married at St George's in Cape Town.

[@eddierosa250]

The photo is so self evident 🙄🙄

[@patrice5311]

I thought it was just me 😂

[@shon7425]

Where is the rest of this story

[@earljones93]

Is it me or is George a swarthy gentle man?

[@katherineburford7864]

To our surprise and delight my family is 1% Senegalese and as many European-Americans find out to their disappointment, not at all Native American.

[@judyrice3125]

Why only 10 minutes,? Very disappointed.

[@WhoDoYouThinkYouAre]

The full episode is now available on BBC iPlayer - www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0bdlqnh/who-do-you-think-you-are-series-15-5-shirley-ballas

[@sherrygould7791]

Thank you so much! I did the NH research and have been waiting to see the full show.

[@sherrygould7791]

Oh, can't view it from the US. so sad to not see the full show

[@WhoDoYouThinkYouAre]

​@@sherrygould7791 Try iTunes - geo.itunes.apple.com/gb/tv-season/who-do-you-think-you-are-the-complete-15th-series/id1428896209?mt=4&at=1010lPxx

[@bernadettepauling9140]

I tried to use the link, but it only shows the USA version. Would have liked to see the whole program.

[@kfl611]

The video ended too soon. What about those people mentioned in the video - what about their decedents? Are any of the still living in South Africa?

[@saraschneider6781]

I mean just looking at the picture that he was at least part African.

[@Sachi52]

I think it is funny that people get frustrated about how somebody else receives their own family story. People are a trip.

[@1funkyflyguy]

Exactly, some of these comments from others with chips on their shoulders are quick to make snap judgements about the people in this programme, just shows their own arrogance, bitterness and resentment and says a lot more about them than it does anyone else.