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| Shannon LaNier |
CW39 Houston "Morning Dose" KIAH anchor Shannon LaNier is a ninth generation direct descendant of Thomas Jefferson and his slave Sally Hemings.
Recently LaNier participated in a Smithsonian Magazine project where photographer Drew Gardner re-imagines historical figures through the eyes of their living descendants.
In the photo, LaNier chose not to wear a wig like Jefferson.
“I didn’t want to become Jefferson,” LaNier told Smithsonian Magazine. “My ancestor had his dreams—and now it’s up to all of us living in America today to make sure no one is excluded from the promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
LaNier co-wrote wrote the book, "Jefferson’s Children: The Story of One American Family," about his journey to uncover the history behind his heritage as a descendant of Jefferson and Hemings.
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The Kent State University graduate, has been co-anchoring "Morning Dose" with Sharron Melton since 2018. He previously worked as the weekend morning anchor at Fios1 News in New York.
LaNier also hosts a podcast called Daddy Duty 365.
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