Genetic sourcing for African Americans

[Loren Booda]

Would a genetic method for tracing racial history be of help to African Americans seeking to recoup their origins?

[Monique]

I don't think recouping would be a good idea, with what in mind? It would be possible to find a common ancestor with the use of SNP typing: single nucleotide polymorphisms in the genome that have a low mutation frequency compared to other markers.

[Loren Booda]

African Americans have lost over the recent centuries (16th-mid 19th) almost all of their commonalities that other Americans take for granted. For instance, I know that my ancestors came mostly from Germany, some from England, and some from Holland. A simple blood test might allow these otherwise lost peoples to trace the regions of Africa from which their forefathers originated.

[Monique]

When you say 'recoup' it sounds like they should gain some rights after they find out their heritage, become of status, which I think is a bad idea. But I understand that you simply mean for people to trace their heritage, which could be of interest for anyone.

I don't know how African Americans view themselves and what kind of information they have about their heritage (wouldn't they know?), I wouldn't consider myself lost if I wouldn't know the origins of my forefathers (my knowledge doesn't go beyond my grandparents).