Nov 29, 2024 Story by: Editor
Black Americans may gain a deeper understanding of their heritage tied to Maryland’s western Chesapeake Bay Shore, thanks to new findings from genetics company 23andMe.
The company has developed the ability to link individuals to a community of enslaved people who resided in the region as far back as 1619. This group has unique characteristics, and DNA connections can help Black Americans trace ancestors or relatives previously lost due to the lack of record-keeping by slaveholders regarding familial details.
“People in this Genetic Group report ancestors from the cities of Baltimore, Washington, Annapolis, Upper Marlboro, Frederick, La Plata, Bowie, Huntingtown, York, Lexington Park, Damascus, and Avenue,” a report from 23andMe revealed. “Popular foods include seafood dishes like crab cakes and African-influenced peanut soup reflecting a blend of local ingredients and African influences.”
Steven Micheletti, a senior scientist at 23andMe, explained how small patterns in DNA reveal these connections. “Certain groups of people share more DNA with each other, because their ancestors generally experience some form of reproductive isolation at a certain point in time,” Micheletti noted. “Reproductive isolation can come from many different processes, but we know historical events like war, migration or slavery lead to segregation of populations, and therefore there’s genetic signatures.”
Recent advancements in DNA research have opened new avenues for Black Americans to discover ancestors who would otherwise have been lost due to the devastating impacts of slavery.
Last year, a groundbreaking study identified family members of individuals who had shared ancestors working at an iron furnace in western Maryland.
“This work represents a step forward for enabling further study of the biogeographic origins and genetic legacy of historical African American populations, particularly in cases where documentation is limited, as is common,” said Henry Louis Gates Jr., director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University and one of the study’s authors. Source: WYPR
