Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is an American literary critic, historian, and public intellectual, and one of the most influential figures in the field of African and African American studies. He is the director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University. His academic career is marked by seminal works such as *The Signifying Monkey* (1988), in which he develops the critical theory of "Signifyin(g)" to analyze the African American literary tradition. In addition to his academic work, Gates has reached a wide audience as the creator and host of acclaimed documentary series for PBS, including *Finding Your Roots*, which explores the genealogy of famous individuals, and the award-winning *The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross*. For his cultural and academic contributions, he has received numerous accolades, including the National Humanities Medal, a MacArthur Fellowship, and several Emmy and Peabody Awards for his television work.