Tracy Morgan was amazed to find that his great-grandfather was drafted to fight in World War I in 1917.
Morgan, 55, was obviously upset as Henry Louis Gates Jr., 73, provided historical insights with him on this week’s Finding Your Roots. Gates Jr. recounted, “Your great-grandfather Julius registered for the draft, and you know what was happening at that time?” “World War One.”
Morgan expressed surprise when asked if his great-grandfather participated in World War I, as reported by Carroll Times Herald. Gates pushed Morgan to read the transcription in a white box on the page so that he may continue his path of discovery.
“Turn the page.” “Let’s see,” Gates says. “Tracy, would you please read the transcription in that white box?”
“Date of sailing. September 29, 1918,” Morgan reads. “Port of embarkation is Hoboken, New Jersey. Name: Alexander Julius. Rank: private.”
“You had it right. Gates responds, “Your great-grandfather was drafted and shipped out to France.”
“How’s that make you feel?” The comedian became emotional, tears welling up in his eyes as his voice strained, and showed pleasure in his great-grandfather’s accomplishment. He wished all males in his family could share this moment with him.
During the same episode of Finding Your Roots, Morgan discovered that he has a genetic connection to his friend Nas. The comedian previously revealed this information during a December episode of the Connect the Dots podcast.
“I turn to the last page, and guess who is seated there? Nas. “Me and Nas are third cousins on my mother’s side,” Morgan explained at the time.
“But me and Esco was always tight before that,” he went on to say. “I staged a program called One Mic on Comedy Central years ago in honor of Nas’s mother, who recently died. So me and Esco have always been close.”
Morgan recalls calling his longtime friend Nas to convey the shocking news. He vividly remembered the moment on the West Side Highway after a gig, when he informed Nas that they were related through Finding Your Roots.
According to him, they both became emotional as they shared meaningful comments, reinforcing their friendship with pledges of mutual assistance whenever needed.