DISQUS

James Walton · 2 years ago

Nice post, it is a shame most of us do not know what country we are from. We lost our link to the pass along with our self esteme. We as African Americans owe it to ourselves and our past to establish a present day pattern of success so in the future our family linkage can use us as benchmarks

Fredric · 2 years ago

very enlightening, indeed. one of these days i will take the time and go through ancestry.com.

dr robert l. mcmiller · 2 years ago

This is an interesting piece. I am reminded of an
art gallery I attended with a colleague of mind. One of the art professor attending mentioned he was from Africa, Chad. Our conversations were many but one was about what tribe, based on my demeanor, I probably came from. He said my ancestors are probably from the Mandinka tribe. I was amazed.

Jess · 2 years ago

I was blessed to go to Ghana my junior year of college. The feeling that overcame me when I stood in the Cape Coast castle, which still has the metallic stench of blood in its walls, and looked out from THE DOOR OF RETURN to the Ocean was one of pure and total consuming pain. It was as if all of the tragedy and horror of the lives of those who had been confined in that room locked itself around my heart. I could not breathe. My life was forever changed in that moment. It may sound cliche, but you truly can have no appreciation for where you are going until you understand where you come from. If you have the chance, go.

Fredric · 2 years ago

wow. Mandinka tribe. that is what's up right there.

Kimberly · 2 years ago

Cool Dad, so if we're from the Mandinka tribe that means we are from Gambia (West Africa). It's the largest tribe in Gambia. Author of Roots, Alex Haley also traced his roots to that tribe. http://www.africaguide.com/culture/tribes/mandi...

It's a start, but I think I'll definitely do a search on ancestry.com

Brittania · 2 years ago

Well they have DNA technology now that helps you figure out where/what tribe some of your ancestors are from in Africa. Check it out at www.africanancestry.com

David McQueen · 2 years ago

Unfortunately Kimberley Black History month in the UK is a gimmick. I am constantly telling black students to study their history all year round. When I talk to them about WE Dubois, Patrice Lumumba, Steve Biko, Cheik Antia Diop, Frantz Fanon and many of the heroes I discovered in my Dad's library they either are shocked that there is so much history or don't care. Schools are not allowing speakers like myself in to teach either as they are afraid of the direct speech and research of such history which flies in the face of what they have been told about world or African history.

I have Nigerian (paternal) and Ghanian(maternal) in my lineage, along with a hodgepdge of Carib, Portuguese and Celtic. By discovering where I am came from it empowers me to where I am going.

Truth be told I believe many of the students if they really understood where they were coming from wouldnt have the issues of misplaced ego and identity. Sad really!

Malinda · 1 year ago

interesting interaction here. i'm actually a graduate student doing some research on black americans in london(uk) and the diaspora. do you or have you lived in london? would you be willing to share some of your experiences?

Kimberly · 1 year ago

Yes! Fredric and I both lived in London and would love to share more of our experiences. Please contact us at ybpguide [at] gmail [dot] com.