Oprah Winfrey, Chris Tucker and Whoopie Goldberg, have discovered their roots. Each of these celebrities volunteered to provide a sample of their DNA to be tested to trace which ethnic group in Africa their ancestors may have belonged. The entertainers were featured in the 2006 PBS documentary African American Lives. But not only are the rich and famous attempting to reach back into the past, but everyday folk are also heading back to Africa.
Roots are more than just a book…
In 1976, Alex Haley wrote the best selling novel, Roots. The book which was turned into a movie, hit a nerve with African-Americans, which still resounds 30 years later, the desire of African-Americans to know more of their history which existed BEFORE slavery.
More than 20 million Africans were forcibly taken from their home continent of Africa, hundreds of years ago in what have become known as the Transatlantic Slave trade. These men, women and children, not only were stripped of their homeland, but also their culture and history were decimated. Now, with technology such as DNA testing, the descendants of those long ago people are finding their way back home.
How does DNA testing work?
DNA stands deoxyribonucleic acid, which is the hereditary material in humans. Each persons DNA is unique, but there are certain familial patterns which remain unchanged, and it is these links, or paths which testing are seeking to identify and link to certain ethnic lines in Africa, today. One test examines markers from the Y chromosome which passes from the father and another test examines mitochondrial DNA which boys and girls receive from their mothers. A separate test examines an individual’s ethnic make-up, African, European, Asian etc.
Who are the DNA detectives?
African Ancestry, founded by Gina M. Paige, President, African Ancestry, Inc. and Rick Kittles, PhD, Scientific Director, African Ancestry, Inc. conducted their first test back in 2003. In an article posted on USA Today.com on 02/01/2006, Rick Kittles stated that his company had sold more than 4,000 tests at $349.00 apiece since 2003 when African Ancestry opened
DNA testing… is it too good to be true?
There are some researchers, and scientist who state that claims such as proposed by African Ancestry, that African-Americans heritage can be traced through a test is false. The skeptics state that there are a multitude of ethnicities in Africa, and companies such as African Ancestry would have too small a database to trace a linage, due to the fact that African-Americans, in fact
Most Americans are made up of several ethnic groups. But per African Ancestry’s FAQ page which explains the entire procedure for testing (www.africanancestry.com) they continue to maintain the viewpoint that locating a certain lineage is indeed possible, by simply focusing on ONE direct maternal or paternal linage at a time. African Ancestry states their accuracy rate as being approximately 85% for the people which identical matches are found. and for the remaining people,95% to identify for a closely related group.
There are other commercial labs and non-profit groups which could also be utilized to test for heritage as well. These groups are as close as the next Google search.
How do you know where you are going? If you do not know where you came from?
There is a surge of interest for many to locate a tie to the past, the interest for African-Americans to have answers of a past lost in the murky waters of slavery, has also increased. Now with the advent of technology answers can now be found.
Sources:
USA Today.com
African Ancestry.Inc.
Genetics Home Reference
