‘Kiss me, I’m Irish’ took on a new meaning when DNA proved that I was |
‘Kiss me, I’m Irish’ took on a new meaning when DNA proved that I was
The Guardian
2015-03-17
New tests confirmed what my family had long known: our ancestors were children of their Irish-American slaveholders
Like many African Americans, I was excited by the possibility of using DNA tests to learn about my cultural roots before they were severed by centuries of slavery, obfuscation and the destruction of records. Today, I’m proud to say that multiple tests have confirmed my roots among ethnic groups living Ghana, Sierra Leone and other countries in West and Central Africa.
But the tests also confirmed the legacy of slavery in quite another way: my family, like most black American families, has not one but several white ancestors – men who took advantage of their access to young enslaved women and, in the process, increased the number of human beings they called property.
“Kiss Me, I’m Irish” took on a whole new meaning for me, when I discovered that I was…
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Tags: Ireland, Michael Twitty, Michael W. Twitty, The Guardian