“The View” host Sunny Hostin was shocked to learn she is the descendant of slave owners in a new episode of the PBS documentary show “Finding Your Roots.”
“Finding Your Roots” researches prominent figures' family histories through historical records and DNA testing. On Tuesday's episode, show host Henry Louis Gates Jr. revealed one of Hostin's ancestors was likely involved in the slave trade in colonial Spain.
Hostin, who has staunchly advocated for reparations, couldn't hide her reaction after learning the news.
“Wow, I'm a little bit in shock. I just always thought of myself as half Puerto Rican. I didn't think my family was originally from Spain and slaveholders,” she said.
Hostin shared that her husband's family is also from Spain.
“I think it's actually pretty interesting that my husband and I have shared roots, so I do appreciate that, and I think it's great for our children to know this information. I guess it's a fact of life that this is how some people made their living, on the backs of others,” she continued.
Hostin's family tree and own DNA revealed even deeper ties to Spain, which shocked her.
Gates teased Hostin that her white side of her family had to have “come from somewhere,” before jokingly asking her what she had against Spain.
“Just the colonization of other people,” Hostin responded with a chuckle before growing more somber. “I'm surprised that they were enslavers, actually. That's disappointing.”
Hostin went on to say that her mother “certainly identifies as Puerto Rican and non-white, actually.”
“So I hate this for her,” she said with a laugh.
Hostin previously explained how her mother was very politically active and often took her to protests while growing up.
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