Connecting African Americans to Africa: Search for the African Roots

At the Black History Month activity at the Senior Residential House on Edgewood Avenue, many years ago, I was confronted with a question by one of the senior citizens after introducing myself.  His question was, and I quote, “what would be my nationality and ethnicity if I decided to move to Africa?”  I had no clear-cut answer for him.  Today, thanks to advances in DNA testing and genealogy research, many African Americans are discovering their ancestral origins and connection with their African heritage.  DNA testing helps Black Americans reclaim identity and history  As such, ancestral homeland visit to Africa has increased tremendously in the last couple of years.  And as an added incentive for African American visitors, some African countries, notably Ghana instituted a program called the “Year of Return initiative” in 2019 which automatically granted Ghanaian citizenship to any African American who decides to move to Ghana.  What Made Ghana’s Year of Return the Most Powerful Diaspora Movement? - diasporapulse.comThe ceremony was attended by notable African American celebrities such as Ludacris, Tina Knowles-Lawson (Beyoncé’s mother) Boris Kodjoe and his wife Nicole, Ari Parker and Steve Harvey.  Some, like Steve Wonder have acquired Ghanaian citizenship.  Ghana beyond the return program - Search Images

Some African Americans who have traced their heritage through DNA to Africa include but not limited to Whoopi Goldberg (Guinea Bissau), Oprah Winfrey (Kpelle people of Liberia, Bamikele of Cameroon and Zambia), Chris Tucker (Angola and Cameroon), and Samuel L. Jackson (Gabon).

Written by Daniel Asomah, Librarian