Yep. That’s me. BBG.
Who am I? A few weeks ago I decided to treat myself to a DNA test (not the Maury kind) from Ancestry.com. My twin sister, La Femme Negrita, our family’s amateur genealogist, took a DNA test. It was only for our maternal blood line. That test showed that my mom was a member of the L3F haplogroup. She has East African ancestry. Her family is from the Caribbean by way of Cuba, Jamaica and St Kitts. My dad’s family has been in the United States for over 200 years is 100% American. We have never done a DNA test for my dad’s family and Ancestry.com’s test was our opportunity. Their DNA test determines the ethnicity of both of my parents and since we linked it to our family tree we were able to find our long-lost cousins. Some of them may not have wanted to be found. I will get back to that later.
Process
Well I purchased the kit from Ancestry.com for $99. A few weeks later they sent me a kit. The kit includes directions, a cup to spit in and a package to send back to them. Once have you spit in the cup and send it back all you have to do is get on the computer and wait.
Results
Three weeks passed and SURPRISE!! I am 91% African. BOOOO YAAAAAA!!! If I was over 15% something else my parents would have had a lot of explaining to do. Hey Nigeria and Ivory Coast/Ghana BIG UP!!!
The official screen shot.
The Other Nine Percent
We knew on my paternal side that our enslaved ancestor, my 4th great grandmother Matilda Patton was raped by a White man. Because of the rape she had my 3rd great grandmother Eliza Jane Patton. Well, the DNA linked me to the family of the man who did it. It turns out that they live in Little Rock, Arkansas. I still have family there. My cousin, Jefferson Thomas, who passed away in 2010, was one of the Little Rock Nine. My great-grandmother, Gertrude or as we call her Momma Gert along with my family left Arkansas during the great migration. They headed for New York City. Did I tell you I have polish ancestors too? That’s my Europe West part. We connected using DNA on ancestry.com.
Unlike 99% of African-Americans who claim First Nation ancestry, I always knew my family did not. Most African-Americans who claim First Nations ancestry did so because they did not want to admit that they were a product of slave rape. These stories were passed down from generation to generation to hide the truth.
Hey, who knew I had teeny tiny bit of East Asian in me?
My ancestry results mimic route of the transatlantic slave trade. I am also a reflection of the most genetically diverse place in the world. AFRICA. TOTAL FUN SAUCE! For all of those who questioned my ancestry oh yes, I do have good hair. I have African in my family. Have you taken the test? What were your results?
Affiliate Link: Know your genetic story. Get your personal DNA kit today for just $99.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Tamira!!
I took the same test. I was a little over 60% African, but like you, from the same slave trade routes you show here. Had over 30% European which makes sense with my mom’s side of the family being from Charleston, SC and it’s history of slavery and settlers.
I was also suprised at the East Indian nod. I had to hit up one of my closest friend’s wife, who is East Indian, to tease her about being her brother! LOL
It was really interesting to see the breakdown. Thanks for sharing!
Awesome. Thanks for sharing. We are all brothers and sisters.
Good for you. I haven’t taken a DNA test yet but I hope I turn out at least 80% or more Black. I can’t stand having Neanderthal genes in me.
If you have neanderthal genes your parents have some explaining to do.
I always get rolled eyeballs from blacks when i mention my grandfather was a Cherokee man from Louisiana, many African-Americans do in fact have native-american ancestry.
Less than 10% of all African Americans have First Nations ancestry. At most only 3.6 million out of 36 million. That is a very small amount. Take the test and find out. http://thegrio.com/2012/11/22/native-american-roots-in-black-america-run-deep/
Unless you have a Hispanic background, its very rare. Most stories of Americans claiming the “Cherokee grandmother” turns out to be a false story as its just a Ledger passed down from generation to generation to cover up another ethnicity. I taken my test from 23andme because i feel that is was far more acurate than the rest of the companies out there. Based on what I have seen. Most African Americans on there have little to no native American at all as most of them all show under 2 percent, same as white people under 2 percent or 0.10 percent. Unlike myself my paternal grandfather is Puerto Rican as must Hispanics are Mestizo meaning half Native American half Spanish European. How ever typical Puerto Ricans in general are admixture of all three, European, African and Native American which is the Taino tribe of Puerto Rico.
Thanks for sharing your DNA results!
Regarding the comment :Most African-Americans who claim First Nations ancestry did so because they did not want to admit that they were a product of slave rape”,
What is the statistical basis of this assumption? Or this just a feeling?
I suggest for those who are interested in the relationship between African and Native americans to read Black Native Americans: An Untold Story for vetted research on this matter. Peace.
Thank you for reading. Less than 10% of all African Americans have First Nations ancestry. At most only 3.6 million out of 36 million. That is a very small amount. African Americans are much more likely to have European ancestry than any First Nation’s ancestry.If others want to believe they are First Nations that is their choice but these are the facts. http://thegrio.com/2012/11/22/native-american-roots-in-black-america-run-deep/
Hey Polish would be Eastern European hun. That would be SLAVIC group of people. How do I know this because my grandmother is Eastern European family came from Ukraine and by the way I am adopted . Plus I live in Canada where I am around lots of white people with different white ancestry. By the way that is pretty interesting you did this you are brave you are almost 100% African 🙂 I am afraid to get this DNA test I am Haitian and most likely 100% black.I just do not want my DNA mixed with rapist blood I whether not know.
That is a stunning picture of you. You should seriously consider using it as your avatar.
Maybe one day. Thank you!
What do you think about AfricanAncestry.com’s test? They can identify the tribe a person is from.
I’ve always wanted to take a test like this. In your article you say that it was $99. Are there any other fees or costs? I ask because I am a bit of a cheapskate and want to know what to expect.
It’s $99. That’s it.
Useful info. Lucky me I discovered your site by
chance, and I’m surprised why this twist of fate
didn’t took place in advance! I bookmarked it.
You look so pretty here! You kinda remind me of Sanaa(?) Latham (actress). Wow, you’re brave. But I love your tagline. Unlike many of our disordered people trying to distance themselves from the beautiful Blackness, you changed that common meme to, “I do have good hair, I got AFRICAN in my family!: LOL!!!
Her ten percent white makes he mixed like every other black folks. bwaaahhh!!!!
Only self haters would ignore the other 91%. Have several seats by the emergency exit.
THIS is awesome and inspiring!!!
I took the test a couple of months ago and found out that I am 86% African (Nigeria, Ivory Coast/Ghana, Benin/Togo, Africa Southeastern Bantu, Senegal, Mali, Cameroon/Congo, Africa South-Central Hunter-Gatherers), 1% Asian (Asia Central), 12% European (Europe West, Scandinavia, Great Britain, Iberian Peninsula, Finland/Northwest Russia, Ireland) and 1% West Asian (Caucasus). I thought I had Indian in my family as well from my great great great grandmother but NOPE!!!! So hey cousin!!! 🙂
Thanks for some other informative web site.
Where else may just I am getting that kind of information written in such an ideal way?
I have a undertaking that I’m simply now running on, and I’ve
been at the look out for such information.
I am a black Latina my dad is black and my mom is black Dominican. My DNA test showed
75% African from the same places as you with the addition of Africa North.
22% European from Ireland Italy Greece Great Britain Finland/North West Russia Iberian peninsula and Europe West
3% surprise surprise Native American.
I have L3 haplogroup like you 🙂 Hey Cuz!! But my subgroup is L3D which is mostly west African with a bit of east african.
You should enter your raw data on Promethease it tells you what medical conditions you’re genetically predisposed to.
2 crazy things I found out were I am a carrier of the “Warrior Gene” and I have recessive blue eye gene and the light hair gene. It’s great knowledge to know that my dna says I have a higher risk of diabeties dementia and cancer. Great to know so I can take are of myself better.
[…] call Dr. Henry Louis Gates STAT!! I did a DNA test and can show her how it is done.)) Read the rest […]
According to family legend, I am of African, Native American, and European Jewish ancestry. However, I took the ancestry.com DNA test and learned that I have 0 per cent Native American DNA and 0% Eur. Jewish DNA. I learned that I am 86% African and 16% European, with ancestry from Great Britain, the Iberian Peninsula and other places. I look much more African than the author of this post, but have more African DNA. And I guess I won’t be lighting my Menorah this year.
Wow! This post was very interesting and I was sooo intrigued that you had family from Little Rock with a connection with the Little Rock Nine. I was born in Hope, AR have been in AR my entire life and I have resided in Little Rock the past 14yrs. This is truly a place that is rich in slave rape and the like.
WOW. I was just there this summer. Small world.
Thank you for sharing!! I’m encouraged to have mine done. I’ve always been curious but after seeing your results broken down, I have to try it.
Thanks for the good partial information. However, so called African-Americans (AA) are missing one important area of interest. I have and we all should write and demand, The Black Caucus, of the U.S. Congress. Pass legislation that pays for all (AA) TO TRACE THEIR FAMILY LINEAGE, back to the very country and Cultural Tribe they are from. It’s about doing (BUSINESS), with our people as all others do ,
According to family I am from African, Native America, Jewish Ancestry. DNA test has made knowing background of person very easy.
I understand this post is a bit old, but I was so inspired by it I’ve decided to take a DNA test as well. As it turns out, im 80% African (Congo/Cameroon, Ivory Coast/Ghana, and Nigeria being my strongest roots) and 19% Irish which makes sense due to the irish slave trade in the Caribbean with a wee bit of native American. Its interesting because i dont know much if anything at all about where my dads family comes from. And all i know from my mom is what my gma told me which is how i know i have Jamaican roots. I guess this starts my research looking into my culture
AWESOME
87 % african: 20% benin/togo; 20% cameroon/congo; 13% senegal; 11% nigerian. 12% european: 6% Ireland (I knew this already, my grandmother’s maiden name is McAfee). The most surprising was 2% finland/nOrth west russia.
Mine was 99 percent europe
Less than one percent native America
47 % percent europe west
21 % Italy/Greece
10 % Iberian peninsula
8% Ireland
7% great Britian
5 percent Scandinavia
Trace regions one
Europe east one percent
You who got your ancestry dna from Africa.
we are the lost tribes of Israel. the Lord punished our parent bcos they refuse to serve him. the went after idols that cldnt save them… so the Lord cursed our parent and it fell upon us, this is the fourth generation
Exodus 20:5 thou shall not bow down thyself to them nor serve them (idols or fake gods), for I am a jealous God visiting THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON CHILDREN UNTO THE 3RD AND 4TH GENERATION OF THEM THAT HATE ME…………………………..
Slave trade started again after they disobeyed God
Deuteronomy 28:68 And the Lord shall bring thee into Egypt(House of slavery/bondage) again WITH SHIPS. By the way i spake unto thee, thou shall see it no more again; and THERE YE SHALL BE SOLD UNTO YOUR ENEMIES AS SLAVES AND NONE SHALL BUY YOU. I.E REDEEM YOU
Jesus has redeemed us. Amen run to Christ today. God bless you all. Shalom 🙂
My results came out very similar to Berni’s. 75% African Cameroon,Ghana NigeriA Africa north Mali Bantu hunters gathers
21% European: Europe west Britan Ireland Iberian peninsula
3% native American
1% central Asian
I’m told I am Cuban and African American on mom side
And African American and white on dad side. Based on my results it could be true. Then again I have no ideas who’s genes I’ve mostly inherited tho lol. Ghana was my highest country 🙂 36%. #so exciting
I took the Ancestry DNA and was found 91% sub Saharan African and 9% breakdown and that was it. I was a bit disappointed that it was not more specific but I ordered the maternal lineage will this tell me more? And how did you find cousins with DNA?
I also completed the Ancestry.com DNA test and I am 92% from Africa
IC/Nigeria/Benin/Togo/Cameroon/Congo/AfricaSE/Bantu and 8% Europe-Europe West/Ireland/GB/Scandinavia….Had the opportunity to travel to Gabon/Congo & Namibia for work…And truly felt I was HOME….
Africa 96%
Ivory Coast/Ghana 34%
Nigeria 24%
Cameroon/Congo 16%
Senegal 8%
Benin/Togo 5%
Africa South-Central Hunter-Gatherers 3%
Trace Regions 6%
Mali 3%
Africa Southeastern Bantu 2%
Africa North < 1%
America 0%
Other Regions Tested
Native American 0%
Asia < 1%
Trace Regions < 1%
Asia Central < 1%
Other Regions Tested
Asia East 0%
Asia South 0%
Europe 3%
Trace Regions 3%
Great Britain 3%
Other Regions Tested
Iberian Peninsula 0%
Europe West 0%
Italy/Greece 0%
Europe East 0%
Ireland 0%
European Jewish 0%
Finland/Northwest Russia 0%
Scandinavia 0%
Pacific Islander 0%
Other Regions Tested
Melanesia 0%
Polynesia 0%
West Asia 0%
Other Regions Tested
Middle East 0%
Caucasu
Yu know Bougie black girl dna tests aren’t always accurate and don’t go far back like don’t go all the way to the 1500s or 1700s they only go back a few generations back and the dna results are just estimates really they don’t tell yu exactly who yu are and I personally don’t find it fair to say that African Americans don’t have any native American in them because we all have some type of ethnicity in us no matter how we look like it may not show up in one dna test or in our parents features but who knows there are some people that have native American ancestry but it’s only from 200 or 300 years ago no matter if their black or white