https://blogs.ancestry.com/ancestry/2014/10/16/cnn-roots-with-don-lemon-an-etouffee-of-stories/

Don’s roots are not unlike the hot plate of étouffée carefully prepared for his return by his mother, Katherine: both Cajun and Creole, a spicy, savory blend of seafood and rice that is decidedly Louisianan. The instigator of the entire Roots series, Don wanted to better understand his deep Louisiana roots and wanted his mom with him every step of the way. The surprise family lunch and impromptu family reunion that welcomed Don home foreshadowed what he would later discover in his past: tight-knit families in small communities stick together, and while you don’t pick your family or your circumstances, you can make the best of them.

Don grew up not just hearing stories about his grandmother Mary H. Bouligney; she was a part of his life until she passed when Don was in his thirties. She was born in a small town called Brusly (pronounced Brew-ly) or Brusly Landing, and was raised by her grandmother Henrietta Jackson (Don’s 2nd great-grandmother.) Mary H.’s death certificate states her parents were Catherine Jackson and Harry Rivault. Family legend states Catherine died in childbirth; census records tell us Harry Rivault was a married white man.

As an orphan of mixed heritage in Louisiana born in the year 1915, life could have been bleak for Mary H., but Henrietta raised her as her own. Henrietta was the glue that held several generations of the family together. She owned her own home, ran a farm, and had three sons, two grandchildren including Mary H., and later a great-granddaughter all living with her. What might have been the motivation behind this maternal influence to several generations? Don’s mom Katherine was surprised to learn that as a young girl, Henrietta was an orphan too. This explains her open and accepting attitude towards caring for children without parents and taking them in.

Curious about the circumstances where Mary H.’s parents met, we looked into the life of Harry Rivault. Four years before Mary H. was born, her father Harry Rivault was newly-married to Odille Bossier, and living in West Baton Rouge, according to the 1910 United States Census. He stated his occupation was as an “overseer” at a plantation. Two of his white neighbors listed their occupations as “assistant engineer at Sugar Factory” and a “Hostler at Plantation.” The remaining families, all African American, worked as farm laborers. The sugar factory and plantation refer to the only place it could in West Baton Rouge: Cinclaire Sugar Mill. It is possible Mary’s mother Catherine worked at the Sugar Mill—anyone who worked for Cinclaire lived “on campus.” The field laborers lived in the former slave housing; overseers and management lived in a row of houses on a different street. He and his wife Odille never had children, and he tragically ended his life in 1941 after several months of poor health.

MORE EPISODES ON CNN

They travel the world to chase the story, but this time the story is their own. Join the journalists of CNN as they explore their … roots. More behind the scene stories:

•Michaela Pereira

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•Jake Tapper

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•Erin Burnett

•Christine Romans

•Fareed Zakaria