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Gates, Henry Louis Jr.

1950-present · Contribution: 1991-present

Education

Built Harvard's Hutchins Center into the leading institution for African and African American research, recovered and authenticated lost early Black literary works including the first known novel by an African American author, and has brought African American history to tens of millions of viewers as writer and host of PBS documentary series including Finding Your Roots, The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross, and The Black Church

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Impact on the world

Gates recovered a lost archive of early Black literature and built the institutions and popular media that brought African American history and genealogy to a mass audience.

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    Harvard Hutchins Center for African & African American Research

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