Maile Mossman has lived all her life in Maui, Hawaii, where there are strong oral traditions. Maile is a Kupuna, a teacher of oral tradition through Hawaiian music. Unfortunately, Maile knows very little about her maternal side of the family and is unable to pass on oral traditions to her own children.

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Former judge Boyd Mossman believes that he is related to Isaac Davis. Legend has it that Davis was the royal adviser to King Kamehameha, who allegedly gave Davis a Hawaiian princess to marry. Boyd researches the story of his ancestor to find out if the legend is true, and if Boyd really is royalty.

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Danielle’s apathy concerning family history is razed when she learns that her African American great-grandfather was the inventor and patent holder of the horse bridle in 1892. To learn more about her ancestor, Danielle journeys to Colonial Williamsburg to see what life would have been like for a man of his status.

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Gloria Squires has been troubled by a family story of her grandfather William, known only as a drunk who cheated on his wife and was ultimately found beaten to death. Gloria believes there is good in everyone and wants to find something admirable that she can pass on to future generations.

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An adventurous woman, Vicki Biss has always believed that she's descended from Native Americans. Enlisting the help of relatives and an old diary, Vicki sets out for Shiloh, Tennessee, to uncover the truth about her family legend.

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As Andrea Campbell undergoes her second bout of cancer, she is faced with drastic lifestyle changes. She looks to her ancestors to give her the inspiration and fortitude to accept these substantial adjustments. In particular, she hopes to channel the strength of some of the fiercely independent women of her past.

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John Searcy feels passionate about the power of a name. Named after his great-grandfather, John wants to learn more about his namesake in hopes of identifying morals and values that he can emulate. He travels to Florida and Georgia, where he learns about their surprising past.

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Upon seeing an old photograph of his great-grandfather for the first time, Durrell Daniels is surprised to see a dapper, successful-looking man. Durrell knows that his great-grandfather lived in the post–Civil War South, when African Americans still struggled to advance economically. As a successful entrepreneur, Durrell is compelled to learn more.

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Katie Newbold’s life has been riddled with health problems, and she has most recently been diagnosed with precancerous polyps. As Katie looks to her family’s past to understand if these health issues are genetic, she is able to connect with a great-grandmother who died of a similar condition in her early 30s.

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Deanna Jensen sets out on what seems to be an impossible journey of learning about her great-grandparents who were killed in a house fire, after throwing their 11-month-old daughter to safety. Deanna’s grandmother knows little about her parents, making it difficult for her to pass on their legacy.

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Raised mostly by a surrogate family, Boston artist Lumina Gershfield is compelled to find out all that she can about her biological family. In particular, she hopes to connect with her grandmother who in her youth faced a similar question to the one that currently concerns Lumina.

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To find the truth behind the family legend that he has an East Indian princess in his pedigree, bridal gown designer James Walker travels to southern Utah to learn how this alleged princess would have fared in a rural community.

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Is pessimism hereditary? Lakia Holmes journeys through her great-grandmother’s life to find out. Her question takes her from the Big Apple to rural Alabama to the small schoolhouse of her great-grandmother’s youth, a harrowing reenactment of life as a slave, and a surprise encounter with the grandfather she has never met.

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