Scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. has made it his mission to overcome these obstacles and connect African Americans with the journeys of their ancestors.

NPR: Scholar Helps Black Americans Trace Family Roots

And what better way to do that than by sharing a frosty beer with Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and the man who put Gates in handcuffs, Jim Crowley?

NPR: What Brands Will Be Served At Beer Summit?

In the wake of criticism of the Cambridge Police Department by President Obama, the police sergeant who arrested Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. says he's dismayed by the president's remarks and insists he did nothing wrong.

NPR: Sergeant Who Arrested Gates Tells His Story