Do you know any blacks who can actually retrace their ancestors to?

Question

the country in which they came from in Africa?

Ignorant question?

This was a legit question.
I'm Black, and I did not know it was possible to do that.

Answer 1

It's possible to trace your roots in most cases, but never assume it will reach to Africa. Not all blacks are African, and not all Africans are black. It's just a continent with a majority.

If you look at common black American last names--Jefferson, WIlson, Jackson, Washington--you'll note that it traces back to presidents and society. They were often the owners and as slaves evolved to freemen they often took the surnames of their master since they had none of their own. While tracing may be easy up until that point, not so much before then unless you're lucky enough to find a ship's registry with their "cargo."

Many slave lines are professed to been researched and verified, but it's mostly wishful thinking just like my English line winding through nobility. Most were concocted to wave around to others for whatever social reasons existed at the time. Given the nature of slaves and noble families, a true bloodline can never be assured nor trusted without DNA testing. Even at that point my nearly translucent white skin can be traced to Africa.

Answer 2

Yes... it's rare but it happens...

but wait! now it's easier because of the Human Genome project... sorry I don't have a link but there is this company that you can donate like a thousand dollars to and they take a sample of your blood and tell you all kinds of amazing things about your ancestry. (It's totally legit - My Dad did it).

It's funny too because some black and white folks have found out that they are hardly even the race that they think they are... like one woman (who was obviously black) found out that she was like 92% white!!! It's weird how it works... your skin does not scientifically reflect your genes...

Answer 3

No, I don't. That's why I refuse to refer to black people as African American. How am I supposed to know your ancestors are from Africa? Maybe you're Jamaican American, or Haitian American. I don't expect you to refer to me as German-Irish-English-American. Some people are really touchy about the whole "calling people black" thing but you know what...it's easier. I realize your skin isn't actually black...it's more brown. But guess what--my skin isn't white...I'm sort of an off-white/peachy color. I don't mind being referred to as white. If anything, black and white are easier to say because they contain fewer syllables.

Answer 4

I assume that this question speaks to African-Americans descended from slaves. Obviously, those people who moved here and emigrated legally are totally aware of their familial ancestry.

Answer 5

Go by your last name which is probably your ancestors master's last name, trace it back, hopefully your last name isn't Smith, or Jones! Yes there are a lot of people who are curious of where they came from. My parents are Nigerian, and it makes me proud to know what my ancestors did in their day! God Luck Dear!

Answer 6

What kind of ignorant question is this? But I will answer it simply because I am proud of where I come from. My mother did DNA testing so I know half of where I come from. In Africa I have ancestry from Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone. In addition I have Spanish Moorish ancestry too. In case you don't know the Moors (who are from Morocco) controlled Spain for eight hundred years.

Answer 7

Yes...my ex-husband did, his family had been working on it for many years. The only other person I can think of is Alex Haley ("Roots")

Answer 8

We all came from the same place - Babylon

Answer 9

probably very few can. all of that was destroiyed somewhere in the past. this is there country.

Answer 10

Yes, but only if you can understand the meaning of my name.