Road Tour Helps Blacks Trace Ancestry
WASHINGTON -- If you think 'Mobile Ancestry' is another new app... think again! In an old-school move, African Ancestry, the company that pioneered DNA-based ancestry tracing for people of African descent, is going "mobile" by loading up a van, a video camera and one of its co-founders and taking ancestry tracing on a 14-city trek to help African Americans more easily and accurately access their ancestral roots. The first-ever 'We Are Africa' Road Tour kicks off on August 1 in New Orleans and culminates on August 19 in New England, hitting 12 cities in between. People everywhere can follow daily video documentation of the tour on www.AfricanAncestry.com/RoadTour, Facebook at www.facebook.com/AfricanAncestry and YouTube at www.youtube.com/AfricanAncestrythroughout August.
Recent studies by African Ancestry show that while many African Americans are aware of DNA-based ancestry tracing, a majority of people believe it's out of their reach or for celebrities only. Additionally, with the excitement and enthusiasm for genealogy at an all-time high, barriers to the use of DNA still impede some populations from taking the transforming step to trace their African roots through science. African Ancestry's 'We Are Africa' Road Tour debunks these myths through a series of free public events that include African Ancestry education forums, community conversations, ceremonial heritage "reveals" of local participants and family reunion-style fun activities with local artists and organizations. Replacing the Internet and other middle-man- mechanisms, the 'We Are Africa' Road Tour connects a network of co-hosts and home-city catalysts along the way in venues ranging from cultural centers and churches to theaters and bookstores.
"While enthusiasm in genealogy has risen to new heights, African Americans still hit a brick wall in their ancestral quest due to the break down in records during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade," said Gina Paige, co-founder of African Ancestry. "African Ancestry was created to bridge that gap through science and the We Are Africa road tour is an extension of our ongoing commitment to change the way people view themselves and Africa."
African Ancestry Enthusiasts Help Shape 'We Are Africa' Road Tour
Earlier in the year, African Ancestry solicited the input from its online community of members and its local networks of partners and alliances to find out where the tour should go. Based on overwhelming feedback and excitement, it was clear where the' We Are Africa' Road Tour would carve its path. Starting in New Orleans and other areas devastated by the largest oil spill in U.S. history, the 'We Are Africa' Road Tour will make its way to:
(All dates and locations are subject to change)
New Orleans, LA
August 1
Ashé Cultural Center
Jackson, MS
August 2
Afrika Book Café
Huntsville, AL
August 3
Alabama State Black Archives Research Center and Museum
Nashville, TN
August 4
Venue - TBD
Charlotte, NC
August 5
Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Art and Culture
Raleigh, NC
August 7
African American Cultural Complex
Richmond, VA
August 8
Franklin Military Academy
Washington, DC
August 11
Venue - TBD
Baltimore, MD
August 12
Reginald Lewis Museum
Philadelphia, PA
August 13
African American Museum of Philadelphia
New York
August 15
House of Art Gallery and Therapy Wine Bar
Hartford, CT
August 16
Union Baptist Church
Jersey City, NJ
August 17
Venue - TBD
Boston, MA
August 19
Road Scholar
AFRICAN ANCESTRY 'WE ARE AFRICA' ROAD TOUR PARTNERS
Afrika Book Café, Alabama State Black Archives Research Center and Museum, Ashe Cultural Center, Butternut Market, Cracker Barrel, Leon H. Sullivan Foundation, Harvey B. Grantt Center for Arts and Culture, House of Art Gallery, Oyin Handmade, Road Scholar, Step Afrika, Therapy Wine Bar and Virginia Commonwealth University Department of African Studies.
ABOUT AFRICAN ANCESTRY
Founded in 2003 on years of research, African Ancestry, Inc. is the ancestry tracing company that pioneered African lineage matching in the United States utilizing its proprietary DNA-database of more than 25,000 African DNA lineages to more accurately assess present-day country of origin for people of African descent. Since its inception, African Ancestry's lineage reveals have impacted the lives of more than 100,000 people in the U.S. from communities at large to global leaders such as Oprah Winfrey, Tom Joyner and the Reverend Jesse Jackson. African Ancestry has been featured across the globe in outlets such as CNN's Black in America series, 60 Minutes and Essence Magazine; and was the centerpiece to the ground-breaking PBS special "African American Lives 1 & 2" with Skip Gates. African Ancestry is African-American-owned and operated and headquartered in Washington, DC.
