Arizona PBS, Cronkite School to host event featuring Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Arizona PBS, ASU Gammage and Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication will host a dynamic event, “Past Connections That Bind Us All: A Conversation with Henry Louis Gates Jr.” at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at ASU Gammage.

Presented with support from Salt River Project, the 90-minute event will feature Gates offering behind-the-scenes details about the discovery process for celebrity guests of “Finding Your Roots,” his successful PBS series now in its eighth season.

“Our lives are constructed by stories, which are shaped by our families, experiences and surroundings. The collective of these stories is what shapes the American experience and our overall identity as a people,” Gates said. “I look forward to visiting ASU to discuss that collective identity and the connections that bind us all.” 

Members of Arizona PBS can purchase event tickets with a 15% discount. (Members can retrieve their code via an email that was sent out). For seats on the main level, ticket prices range from $30–$70 plus fees. Tickets for balcony seats are available; however, the Arizona PBS member discount is not applicable for these seats. The balcony seat ticket price is $5.50 plus fees for ASU students and $20 plus fees for non-students. To purchase tickets, visit www.asugammage.com.

“We’re excited to welcome Dr. Gates to ASU and look forward to an evening of enlightening discussion about our roots and how the past continues to impact our identity today,” said Battinto L. Batts Jr., dean of the Cronkite School.

In addition to serving as host of PBS’ “Finding Your Roots,” Gates, an acclaimed historian, is the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University. An Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, journalist, cultural critic and institution builder, Gates has authored or co-authored 24 books and produced 21 documentary films.

“As the host of one of PBS’ flagship programs, we’re delighted to welcome Dr. Henry Louis Gates to Arizona, and we’re excited to bring this engagement opportunity to our loyal members,” said Arizona PBS General Manager Adrienne Fairwell. “As Arizona’s largest public media station, a key component of our mission is to facilitate community discussions around important issues facing our state and the nation, and this event will help us do just that.”

Gates will participate in a Q&A session composed of questions submitted by Arizona PBS viewers and members of the community. Community members are invited to submit questions that will be showcased during the event’s Q&A segment in the form of video messages. To make a video submission, click here.