Were Julia Roberts And Edward Norton’s Ancestors Slave Owners?

We all have our pasts that we might not be very proud of. Hollywood stars Julia Roberts and Edward Norton are also in the same league. The two stars recently got to know about their ancestors and who they were in an episode of a television reality show.

Both Roberts and Norton’s ancestors were slave owners. The actors have responded to this shocking revelation with maturity. Let’s find out in detail about their ancestral roots and what these actors said about it. Keep on reading to know more.

The Ancestors Of Julia Roberts And Edward Norton

In the PBS documentary television series ‘Finding Your Roots‘, celebrities are given a “book of life” that gives them information about their ancestors, family lineage, and some secrets.

In the season 9 premiere episode of the series, Edward Norton and Julia Roberts got to know about their ancestors. Norton realized that one of his ancestors owned enslaved Black people.

His third great-grandfather, John Winstead, had a record of owning enslaved people as per the 1850 North Carolina census. Another revelation came from the fact that he is a direct descendant of the Indigenous historical figure Pocahontas.

One of his ancestors was a rich iron manufacturer-turned-Union soldier who wrote to Abraham Lincoln and to a pro-union labor activist during the Pullman Strike.

What Did They Say About These Revelations?

Roberts got to know that her fourth great-grandfather Edward Townsend, had owned enslaved black people on a 2,000 acres farm. The actress had assumed this given her Georgian root.

“You have to figure if you’re from the South, you’re on one side of it or the other,” she said. Roberts said that it is necessary to “understand” and “not shy away from” it.

Norton also talked about his ancestors. “The short answer is these things are uncomfortable and you should be uncomfortable with them. Everybody should be uncomfortable with it,” he said.