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# Lena Dunham Uncovers Her Ancestor's Complex Legacy
- URL: https://www.cascadepbs.org/show/finding-your-roots/extras/lena-dunham-uncovers-her-ancestors-complex-legacy/
- Published: 2024-04-02T23:11:31.000Z
- Updated: 2025-08-20T14:27:57.000Z
- Description: Lena Dunham confronts the more troubling aspects of her ancestor's legacy.
- Author: Cascade PBS Staff
- Tags: Finding Your Roots, #ZZZ_Show_855aaf88-37bb-4949-872a-c4646a613145, #v1.7, #ZZZ_Extra_7a53a75e-01be-4631-ad5c-479d059a0fdc, #extra

We trace Lena Dunham's ancestry back to her paternal eighth great-grandfather, Stephanus van Cortlandt, a pivotal figure in the early history of New York City. Stephanus's life story unfolds as one of ambition, becoming the first native-born Mayor of New York. But Lena confronts the more troubling aspects of his legacy, including his dealings with the Lenape tribe and his involvement in slavery.