Learn about the United States through a collection of memorable events, people, landmarks and historical moments. “There’s nothing worse than people getting attached,” Brandt said. “But it’s no substitute for paper research.”. However, she logged into his account a year later and found that the percentage for Nigeria dropped to about 3 percent, and that Cameroon and the Congo increased to more than 50 percent. receive communications related to AARP volunteering. I’d say, 'My mom is from Arkansas,' and I could see the disappointment in their eyes, because that definitely goes straight to a narrative of, ‘Oh yeah, you’re definitely a slave American.’”. I've got the records to prove that," she said. "If you can't follow a paper trail, you are not Native American.". The results alone don’t provide a complete answer, Depradine said. AARP members receive exclusive member benefits & affect social change. Sign up for AARP's The Daily newsletter for more great tips Monday through Friday. The first permanent English settlement in the Americas, The location of the first Thanksgiving celebration, The lost colony of British settlers, who were never heard from again, Native Americans who created an unbreakable communication code, Native Americans who translated for soldiers on Indian reservations, Army units made up of Native-American fighter pilots, German submarines began attacking U.S. ships, The belief that the United States is the greatest superpower, The belief that United States settlers were destined to expand across North America, The belief that each state is destined to determine its own fate and laws, That the U.S. would oppose European colonialism in the Americas, That the U.S. would not interfere in foreign wars, That the U.S. would not supply troops to enemies if Europe, The first governing document of the Plymouth Colony, A declaration of freedom from England for the 13 colonies, A letter to King James asking for more supplies for the colonists, Each new immigrant would receive three-fifths of an acre of land, Each slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person, Each woman's vote would count as three-fifths of a man's. “That was a little frustrating and disappointing,” Holman said. African Americans often have scant knowledge about where their ancestors are from, so many are using DNA test kits, like 23andMe and Ancestry, to trace their roots. That’s why FamilyTreeDNA is more preferred than Ancestry and 23andMe, which can only go back five generations, Brandt said. “Along with DNA and all the documents that are coming to light. It’s an essential tool, especially since enslaved people often changed names, which can make research difficult. “It is not the answer but gives us right direction where we need to be researching.”. Brandt warns her clients not to become too emotionally invested in their results. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly Louis.”, “They were looking for a more cultural answer and not the geographic answer,” she said. African-American History Month Teaser 10 questions Tough, 10 Qns, SMWSMWSMWSMW, Feb 19 00. So they wanted to dig a little deeper, and they’d ask more questions, like, ‘Where are your parents from? The sad truth is that most Americans know very little about African American History, their struggles, achievements, and triumphs throughout the decades. If you loved hearing your teacher talk about how the US was founded, where major wars were fought, and how governments were overthrown, More >>, Undoubtedly the most famous passenger ship of all time, the RMS Titanic has inspired dozens of movies, documentaries, and television stories. "I was also told that we had Native American ancestry and we don't have a drop. A more recent and major reason that motivated Holman to buy kits from Ancestry for her parents were aggressive remarks people would make to her when she’d comment on politics. She found it disconverting to confront the reality that her own ancestors were owned — an emotional cost that African Americans must bear when seeking information on their family history, Williams said. “It’s wonderful to get your results. Want to get back to a simpler time? Nigerian people in particular would insist that Emofor was Nigerian. by AARP Some DNA tests are also limited in how far back in time they can reach. [23andMe] has this great pie chart, and you may be related to a thousand people,” he said. Eli grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, where a mixture of teen angst, a love for Ray Bradbury novels and the growing awareness about climate change propelled her to become the science storyteller she is today. There is no ‘back’ for me. Blues, Hip-hop... Funk! He’d read author Michael Twitty describe in "The Cooking Gene" how African Americans who lived in eastern North Carolina — like Depradine’s paternal grandmother — very likely descended from Malagasy people, an ethnic group in Madagascar. The transatlantic slave trade erased a lot of information about family history and countries of origin for many people descended from African slaves. Among some African Americans, there is a commonly held myth that their families have some Native American ancestry, said genealogist Kathleen Brandt. At least according to my teacher! Depradine, 35, of Kansas City, wanted to have his grandmother’s DNA tested to confirm his suspicions that her ancestors came from Madagascar. Before that, she corralled robots and citizen scientists for the World Science Festival in New York City and spent a brief stint booking guests for Science Friday’s live events in 2013. “I think we all still understand there is some part of the diaspora involved where the Jamaicans were brought over from one of the countries on continental Africa,” Holman said. Since his grandmother’s test, Depradine has collected many paper records about his relatives to see how far his family tree extends in the U.S. He’s motivated to use that research to share a rich family history with his children. She comes to St. Louis after covering the eroding Delaware coast, bat-friendly wind turbine technology, mouse love songs and various science stories for Delaware Public Media/WDDE-FM. Only People Who Attended Catholic School Will Ace this Quiz! seanlim0608. We list four DNA test kits that we think are best for conducting African American ancestry DNA testing, but we also specify why. By Debra Bell , Staff Writer Feb. 7, 2011 By Debra Bell , Staff Writer Feb. 7, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. Quarter 3 Exam Review Questions 70 Terms. When not working, Eli enjoys a solid bike ride, collects classic disco, watches standup comedy and is often found cuddling other people’s dogs. “DNA is a tool to use for our family history,” Brandt said. And I’d say, ‘Look at me, do I look more Igbo or more Yoruba?' “I think I can at least get back to maybe where the ship [carrying my relatives] docked, and that’s good enough for me,” she said. “That didn’t make a lot of sense to me. As more people submit their genetic materials to DNA test kit companies, the results can change. Manage your email preferences and tell us which topics interest you so that we can prioritize the information you receive. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age. In the meantime, please feel free a. | They may have also called themselves something different when they became emancipated, she said. Eli Chen is the science and environment reporter at St. Louis Public Radio. Given the brutal history of the slave trade, he wasn’t surprised to find those European roots. STUDY. Ever feel out of place where you are? An ever-expanding list of resources for learning about famous African American women and other women of Black History. Black Music is a rich and diverse landscape filled with creativity and a vast spectrum of artists. African Americans often have scant knowledge about where their ancestors are from, so many are using DNA test kits, like 23andMe and Ancestry, to trace their roots. You wore uniforms every day, and you knew that mass was just part of going to More >>, Not everyone fell asleep in history class. This tool helps you identify your pills by color, shape and markings. In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails Take our US history quiz and see just how much you know about the events that shaped our great nation! … Good luck! “It’s painful; it sucks having to talk about how our grandmothers were treated long time ago. Her results placed her ancestors all over Africa, but she’s not dissatisfied with having an incomplete answer about her ancestry. It took nearly 30 minutes for Eric Depradine to extract a saliva sample from his dying grandmother. OTHER SETS BY THIS CREATOR. She has a bachelor’s in environmental sustainability and creative writing at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and has a master’s degree in journalism, with a focus on science reporting, from the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. History paints us a detailed picture of how society, technology, and government worked way back when so that we can better understand how it works now. related to AARP volunteering. KCUR serves the Kansas City region with essential news and information.