Ancestry DNA and the Ancestry DNA and the Manipulation of Afro-Manipulation of Afro-

Indian Identity Indian Identity

Arica L. Coleman, Ph.D.Arica L. Coleman, Ph.D.

Post Doctoral FellowPost Doctoral Fellow

Johns Hopkins UniversityJohns Hopkins University

©© 2006. All rights reserved 2006. All rights reserved

Henry Louis Gates, W.E.B. Du Bois ProfessorHenry Louis Gates, W.E.B. Du Bois ProfessorAfrican American Studies Department, Harvard UniversityAfrican American Studies Department, Harvard University

““I ask each of my guests if they I ask each of my guests if they thought they had a significant thought they had a significant amount of Native American amount of Native American ancestry, and to a person, they said, ancestry, and to a person, they said, oh, yeah, my great grandmother, my oh, yeah, my great grandmother, my grandmother, my cousin once grandmother, my cousin once removed, straight hair, high removed, straight hair, high cheekbones. When we did the DNA cheekbones. When we did the DNA analysis, only two of the nine had analysis, only two of the nine had any significant amount of Native any significant amount of Native American ancestry. This is a myth.” American ancestry. This is a myth.” --Henry Louis Gates, Jr., --Henry Louis Gates, Jr., NPR All NPR All Things ConsideredThings Considered, Feb.2006., Feb.2006.

Carter G. Woodson, the pioneer of Carter G. Woodson, the pioneer of African American HistoryAfrican American History

““One of the longest unwritten chapters of the One of the longest unwritten chapters of the history of the United States is that treating of history of the United States is that treating of the relations of the Negroes and Indians.” the relations of the Negroes and Indians.”

““The Relations of Negroes and The Relations of Negroes and

Indians in Massachusetts.” Indians in Massachusetts.” TheThe

Journal of Negro HistoryJournal of Negro History , ,

1920.1920.

Jack D. Forbes (Powhatan), preeminent scholar of Jack D. Forbes (Powhatan), preeminent scholar of African –Native American IntersectionsAfrican –Native American Intersections

“ “There is no denying but what the image of the There is no denying but what the image of the ‘Great White’ Fornicator’ is a popular one, exalted ‘Great White’ Fornicator’ is a popular one, exalted (as it were) by a vast folklore and accepted as valid (as it were) by a vast folklore and accepted as valid almost without seeking proof.” almost without seeking proof.”

““The Manipulation of Race, Caste andThe Manipulation of Race, Caste and Identity: Classifying AfroAmericans, Identity: Classifying AfroAmericans, Native Americans and Red-Black People.” Native Americans and Red-Black People.”

The Journal of Ethnic StudiesThe Journal of Ethnic Studies 17.4, 1990. 17.4, 1990.

Wilma Mankiller, Former Principal Chief Cherokee Wilma Mankiller, Former Principal Chief Cherokee NationNation

““One of the things that struck me in going to the South. . . One of the things that struck me in going to the South. . . was that I saw people who appeared to be African-American, was that I saw people who appeared to be African-American, who I could absolutely look at and say ‘that person is Creek, who I could absolutely look at and say ‘that person is Creek, or that person is Cherokee.’ Society tends to accept tribal or that person is Cherokee.’ Society tends to accept tribal people when mixed with white people, without any problem people when mixed with white people, without any problem whatsoever. . . . But, if you find someone who says I am half whatsoever. . . . But, if you find someone who says I am half black and half Oneida, Yakama, or Cherokee, people have black and half Oneida, Yakama, or Cherokee, people have more difficulty with that.”more difficulty with that.”

““Exploring the Legacy and Future of Black/Indian Exploring the Legacy and Future of Black/Indian

RelationsRelations,” National Congress of Indians 57th Annual ,” National Congress of Indians 57th Annual

ConferenceConference, 2000. Transcript., 2000. Transcript.

Lakota artist Francis Yellow titled his 2000 depiction of the first Lakota artist Francis Yellow titled his 2000 depiction of the first encounter between Africans and Indians in the Carolinas, “First encounter between Africans and Indians in the Carolinas, “First They Made Prayers and They Sang and They Danced and Then They Made Prayers and They Sang and They Danced and Then

They Made Relatives.” They Made Relatives.”

““[I] wanted to depict historical African-Indigenous relations [I] wanted to depict historical African-Indigenous relations from a perspective that today’s indigenous peoples and from a perspective that today’s indigenous peoples and Africans and African Americans could recognize, and relate Africans and African Americans could recognize, and relate to, as our truth.” to, as our truth.”

Quoted in Julie Harris,“The Black-Indian Quoted in Julie Harris,“The Black-Indian

Connection in Art: American Portraits, Soulscapes Connection in Art: American Portraits, Soulscapes

and Spirit Works,” and Spirit Works,” The International Review The International Review

of African American Artof African American Art 1:17, 2000. 1:17, 2000.

Sara Lawrence Lightfoot Sara Lawrence Lightfoot Daughter of Charles City County, VirginiaDaughter of Charles City County, Virginia

Lightfoot, who appeared as a guest on Gates’s PBS documentary, African American Lives, was told her DNA results showed that she possessed no Native American ancestry ; however, the history of Charles City tells a different story. For over three centuries peoples of African, Indian and European descent commingled, and cohabitated in Charles City. Lightfoot’s ancestral roots in Charles City date back to the American Revolution. It would be a miracle if she didn’t have Native American ancestry.

Genetic TestingGenetic Testing

Mitochondril DNATraces mother’s line going

back as far as we can locate the

genetic material

Y-Chromosome DNATraces father’s line going

back as far as we can locate the

genetic material

Admixture Mappingexamines groups' relative

sharedness of genetic markers found on the autosomes 

— the nonsex chromosomes inherited from both parents.

Limitations of Ancestry DNALimitations of Ancestry DNA Mitochondrial and Y Chromosome DNA represents less than one percent of your

entire genetic make up. When tracing one’s ancestry back six generations, one must obtain genetic material for all sixty-four relatives who equally contributed to one’s DNA make up. The current technology only allows for two of those sixty-four to be traced.

Admixture DNAAdmixture DNA attempts to identify Ancestry Information Markers which attempts to identify Ancestry Information Markers which frequently appear in designated populations to demonstrate group affiliation such as frequently appear in designated populations to demonstrate group affiliation such as Native American, Sub-Sahara African, etc. However, patterns which scientists Native American, Sub-Sahara African, etc. However, patterns which scientists identify as Native American or African, can be found in peoples all over the globe. identify as Native American or African, can be found in peoples all over the globe. Hence a person from Sweden may possess the same genetic pattern as a Native Hence a person from Sweden may possess the same genetic pattern as a Native American or Sub-Sahara African, yet have no direct ancestral link to either. American or Sub-Sahara African, yet have no direct ancestral link to either.

The guess work involved in the ancestry DNA enterprise is enormous in that a The guess work involved in the ancestry DNA enterprise is enormous in that a contemporary small sample population is used to stand in for a tribal or ethnic contemporary small sample population is used to stand in for a tribal or ethnic group which may or may not have existed centuries before. Also, in order to group which may or may not have existed centuries before. Also, in order to declare someone to be 50 % sub-Saharan African, 40% Native American and 10% declare someone to be 50 % sub-Saharan African, 40% Native American and 10% European, one must assume he/she knows who is 100% African, Native American European, one must assume he/she knows who is 100% African, Native American or European. Such a conclusion can not be based on scientific fact, but on or European. Such a conclusion can not be based on scientific fact, but on assumptions based on social constructions on race. assumptions based on social constructions on race.

Troy Duster Troy Duster Professor of SociologyProfessor of Sociology

““Instead of asserting that someone has no Native Instead of asserting that someone has no Native American ancestry, the most truthful statement American ancestry, the most truthful statement would be: ‘It is possible that while the Native would be: ‘It is possible that while the Native American groups we sampled did not share your American groups we sampled did not share your pattern of markers, others might since these pattern of markers, others might since these markers do not exclusively belong to any one markers do not exclusively belong to any one group of our existing racial, ethnic, linguistic, or group of our existing racial, ethnic, linguistic, or tribal typologies.’ “tribal typologies.’ “

““Deep Roots Tangled Branches.” Deep Roots Tangled Branches.”

The Chronicle Review OnlineThe Chronicle Review Online. 3 February 2006. . 3 February 2006.

Patricia WilliamsPatricia WilliamsProfessor of LawProfessor of Law

““It behooves us to be less romantic about what all of this DNA It behooves us to be less romantic about what all of this DNA swabbing reveals. I worry about the cravings to ‘go back to swabbing reveals. I worry about the cravings to ‘go back to Africa,’ to ‘connect with our Yiddishness’ or to feel like new Africa,’ to ‘connect with our Yiddishness’ or to feel like new doors have been opened if we have an Asian ancestor. The doors have been opened if we have an Asian ancestor. The craving, the connection, the newness of those doors is in our craving, the connection, the newness of those doors is in our heads, not in our mitochondria. Rather, it is the process of heads, not in our mitochondria. Rather, it is the process of superimposing the identities with which we were raised upon superimposing the identities with which we were raised upon the culturally embedded, socially constructed imaginings about the culturally embedded, socially constructed imaginings about ‘the Other’ we could be. The fabulous nature of what is ‘the Other’ we could be. The fabulous nature of what is imagined can be liberating, invigorating-but it is fable. If we imagined can be liberating, invigorating-but it is fable. If we read the story into eternity of our bloodlines, if we biologize our read the story into eternity of our bloodlines, if we biologize our history, we will forever be less than we can be.”history, we will forever be less than we can be.”

““Emotional Truth.” The Nation, March 2006. Emotional Truth.” The Nation, March 2006.

Tiya MilesTiya MilesAssistant Professor of African American Assistant Professor of African American

Studies and American CultureStudies and American Culture

DNA should not be used “as a foolproof kind of DNA should not be used “as a foolproof kind of ‘truth’ that trumps oral histories, origin stories, ‘truth’ that trumps oral histories, origin stories, cultural connections etc. . about self and family cultural connections etc. . about self and family [that] obscures other kinds of knowledge. . . . “ [that] obscures other kinds of knowledge. . . . “

““Re: Ship Gates and Red/Black People.”Re: Ship Gates and Red/Black People.”

Email to the author. 19 February 2006. Email to the author. 19 February 2006.

Peter N. JonesPeter N. JonesMolecular AnthropologistMolecular Anthropologist

Due to its [ancestry DNA] “serious limitations” it Due to its [ancestry DNA] “serious limitations” it should be “used with caution. . . . these studies should should be “used with caution. . . . these studies should be viewed as inchoate and requiring further be viewed as inchoate and requiring further investigation and support from other investigation and support from other fields. . . .Because of the claimed authoritative validity fields. . . .Because of the claimed authoritative validity of these studies there is a great danger that they will of these studies there is a great danger that they will convince non-specialists of the hypothesized convince non-specialists of the hypothesized associations [or disassociations] between American associations [or disassociations] between American Indian groups [and African Americans]. . . . DNA Indian groups [and African Americans]. . . . DNA analysis should “offer a discourse among our often analysis should “offer a discourse among our often disparate fields offering a greater understanding of disparate fields offering a greater understanding of American Indian [and African American] cultural, American Indian [and African American] cultural, affiliation and demographic history.” affiliation and demographic history.”

““American Indian Demographic History and American Indian Demographic History and Cultural Affiliation: A Discussion of Certain Limitation Cultural Affiliation: A Discussion of Certain Limitation on the Use of mtDNA and Y Chromosome Testing.” on the Use of mtDNA and Y Chromosome Testing.” AnthroGlobe JournalAnthroGlobe Journal , 2002. , 2002.

The EndThe EndFor questions or For questions or

Comments about this presentation, Comments about this presentation,

you may contact the you may contact the

author, Dr. Aricaauthor, Dr. Arica

L. Coleman at L. Coleman at acolem10@jhu.eduacolem10@jhu.edu..

Ulali. “All My Relations.” Ulali. “All My Relations.” Mahk Johi.Mahk Johi. CD. CD. Thrush, 1997.Thrush, 1997.