Post my video with Evelyn From the Internets on the relationship and cultural differences of Africans in America and African Americans (or Black Americans as some prefer), we sparked a very interesting conversation on YouTube. Tons of personal and introspective comments were posted on the video as folks detailed how they deal with their cultural representation of being Black in America or being Black in America while being from another land. That was exactly the convo I wanted to engage my audience with, but mixed in that was also essays and thesis reports as some ethnocentric folk attempted to re-write history and deny that the African slaves were forcefully brought into the United States of America into the 19th century up until about 1820 – not even 200 years ago. But enough people noted both African & Black American, that I and many others who prefer to be called African-American have no connection to Africa or that we can’t even prove that we are of the African diaspora. I don’t entertain the Hebrew Israelites that sit on the corners of 125th St with bullhorns blasting about White people being devils and how we’re really from Israel. So I wasn’t bothering with those comments. Historically and factually speaking slaves were taken from the coast of West Africa with Igbo, Congo, Mdundu(s) being some of the largest ethnic groups imported to America into the 1820s. But since folks like to refute words, I decide to take a DNA Ancestry test and prove scientifically that I am a woman of the African diaspora.
I decided to go with 23andMe because they are the most accessible test, that is autosomal and mitochondrial . They answered all my questions before I purchased the test via Twitter and email. The layout of the website is easy to read + navigate. And lastly the more information they gather the more your test is updated.
As you can see I am 70% Sub-Saharan African with 64.2% of that being West African. That makes me 2/3 African. I’m Black y’all. As is the average for most African-American’s I am 28.6% European and that dash of “I got Indian in my family” is non existent. 23andMe is still expanding their data, including a West African cohort program where you can take the test for free if both your parents (and I believe grandparents) are West African. So I’m excited to see the information grow but I will be reaching out to the African Ancestry program in DC to see about getting my results further analyzed for ethnicity.
Now I’m sure you have more questions and since you missed my original video announcing my results and the tweetchat with a scientist from 23andMe, I compiled the chat into Storify so you can peruse and get more of your questions answered. Check it below.
23andMe test kit is available for $99 from 23andMe.com.
