General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsOur First Lady Has New Cousins
"Now, for the first time, the white forebears who have remained hidden in the first ladys family tree can be identified. And her blood ties are not only to the dead. She has an entire constellation of white distant cousins who live in Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Texas and beyond, who in turn are only now learning of their kinship to her. ..."
Link to the photo and the story of her New Cousin.....
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/us/dna-gives-new-insights-into-michelle-obamas-roots.html?pagewanted=all
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)It is good that we live at a time in our history when the white side of the family will acknowledge the African American branch. Michelle Obama's roots run deep in this country. Her kin are her kin.
Thanks for sharing this!
goclark
(30,404 posts)and straight brown hair.
Let's just use my family as an example of what African Americans look like and why Michelle's family is not unique.
My dear grandfather always had to tell people that he was "proud to be a Colored Man."
His brothers and sisters all looked the same way.
I have pictures of his parents - his mother was from Virginia and her grandmother was from England. She looked White.
His father was from Maryland, he looked White too.
Can't prove it yet but in the town that his parents came from there were two families with the same odd name ---- One White and Rich in 1860 and one '
"Negro" and poor. Can't prove it yet but I believe there were some connections with the two families. Many shared the same first names. Somewhere along the way, the slaves probably mingled with the Owners.
My grandfather was a Butler for a wonderful White man named Mr. Brown.
Mr. Brown was much darker than my grandfather.
My grandmother was a lovely shade of Brown.
Her son was brown and my mother was what we as African Americans would call "High Yellow." My Dad was Brown with straight Black hair.
And then there is " Little Brown Me" probably a tiny bit lighter than Michelle Obama
Generic Other
(28,979 posts)All those generations of stories...Thanks for sharing.
My family landed here from England on my dad's side. On my mum's side from Japan. I am exactly 50% of each. I am sure that's what my DNA would say.
goclark
(30,404 posts)Thanks for sharing.
"50 -50."
I did my DNA at Ancestry --- my male cousin had to do it for me because his genes were supposed to be more of a match with our " Looked White" Grandfather .
Results came in as a disappointment.
Nothing concrete ~~~ stuff like 5 generations removed in Maryland.
Not removed to African Americans.
I have heard there is a better DNA that zeros in for African Americans.
After spending $$'s a Ancestry -- I'll wait.
I'm happy to be ME.
I'm happy to be who I am.