The internet is the new useful tool for Afro American trying to find out their past History. How IT and Genealogy fit each other
While genealogy studies are on in Occident, African-Americans are searching for their roots. It is quite hard for them to build a genealogy tree as they most of the time come from a plantation in the far south of America where they have been brought. Of course, they cannot even find where in Africa they came from, set to slaves.
Many internet websites help them rebuilding their family history. Afrigeneas is a site dedicated to afro-american genealogy. It helps beginners to create their own genealogic tree by proposing official documents such as inventories of boats landed to the States in the XIXth century or registries updated by the “masters”. A site gives access to a list of afro-americans cemeteries in every states and another one offers a discussion board for those who want to find their roots.
Easy like giving your blood
All that is exclusively reserved to American residents. To go further, you must visit Professor Rick Kittle’s website, Africanancestry. He has created a DNA test which can reveal every Afro-American which region in Africa they are from.
This test lets you know your ascendance from your mum and dad. The database of this researcher from Howard University- Washington D.C. counts for now sixty ethnic Western and Central African groups. From a simple blood test, Rick Kittles says he can tell which ethnic group in Africa, is one’s ancestors originally from, and in which region lives this group.
Those tests should start this year but no date has been defined yet. Regarding the price, Professor Kittle cannot talk about it. Hopefully, this inspired idea is good enough to interest a large amount of Afro-Americans who have lost their genealogy, stolen by this tragic and chaotic story.
