Tracy Morgan cries learning ancestor was freed from slavery, but his kids weren't

Tracy Morgan discovers a "bittersweet" reality from his family's ancestry in the latest episode of "Finding Your Roots."

While chatting with the show's host, Henry Louis Gates Jr., the comedian learned that his third great-grandfather, Wiley Wharton, was listed in the 1860 census. Gates explained why this was so significant.

“Anybody listed by name was free. Your ancestor was in the tiny percentage of Black people who got their freedom before the Civil War,” the host said.

“Wow, my great-great-great-grandpa was free,” Morgan said. He continued, getting emotional. “Good for you, grandpa. You know, I could say that I’m so happy for my grandfather. I’m so happy that he didn’t have to do all that suffering. I hope not. I’m glad he was free,” he said.

Morgan likened his ancestor's freedom to his own personal experiences.

“I’m free when I’m on stage. I feel free when I’m on stage doing my comedy. I feel free. Now I know it came from (Wiley Wharton),” he said.

Wiley Wharton's wife, Judy Wharton, wasn't as lucky as her husband. She was one of 71 enslaved people that a man named James Medley owned. The couple's children were also born into slavery while their father was free.

"It must've been horrible," Morgan said while reflecting on the family's dynamics.

"It must've been awful. Can you imagine what that must've been like for him to see his family still in slavery?" Gates asked.

"Alienated from his kids," Morgan said.

When the 55-year-old learned that his ancestors worked on a tobacco farm, he said, “I used to smoke cigarettes. Please forgive me."

As he let his family's history sink in, Morgan reflected on how "surreal" it was to hear that one of his family members was free while the others were enslaved.

“It’s surreal. You watch all these movies on TV and you grow up watching (the TV show) ‘Roots’ and all that. Now you’re face to face with your roots and it’s bittersweet," he said. "It’s sweet to know where I come from and know who I am. But it's bitter to know that (they had) a master."

Flash forward to 1880, and all members of Wharton's family were free and living together on a farm.

"(The couple) stayed together and they learned to read and write," Gates told Morgan.

"Thank the Lord," the comedian replied.

Gates. added that the couple's children stayed with them after they were freed from slavery. Morgan was visibly touched.

"This is heavy stuff for me. I feel fortunate. I feel found. I feel different. It's a sense of pride. It's me knowing. It's changed my life," Morgan said.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com