What would you do if you had the opportunity to trace your family's genealogy back to your earliest known ancestors? Would you jump at the chance to find out all you could, or would you pass on the opportunity?
Nakia Black, a young woman who resides in Glendale, is the winner of the Rocky Mountain PBS African American Lives 2 DNA kit contest and she knows exactly what she's going to do. Nakia is going to trace her roots, with the help of the contest's prize, an mtDNA (mitochondrial) test kit. The contest was offered as part of the network's African American Heritage Month activities.
We're not sure what Ms. Black will learn about her family tree. We do know that, as for all African Americans, she will face very unique challenges in the search for her roots. The fact that a vast majority of African Americans' ancestors were slaves until 1865 means that census reports prior to 1870 will not contain her relatives' names. Slaves were usually listed on inventories as property most often without first names and always without last names. The good news is that some of the new DNA test kits that are available have helped to bridge that gap.
I hope you will join us as we learn about Nakia's family heritage. One thing we know for sure is that, because of the remarkable program that aired on public television and the DNA test kit that was associated with it, one Colorado viewer has been given the opportunity to discover her family's heritage. The DNA test kit will guide her through her process of self-discovery in her search for family history. We will keep you updated as Nakia Black's journey unfolds.
Do you study genealogy or have you traced your roots? Tell us about your search.
Gail, Rocky Mountain PBS
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