White guy asks question on DU Black Forum about Black Americans...

[dutch508]

Flatulo (4,843 posts) http://www.democraticunderground.com/118710569

Do black Americans, in general, have difficulty tracing their genealogy?
I ask this because I recently started tracing my family history, which is Italian. I hit a brick wall at my great-grandfather's generation, because too many records were destroyed in WWII. All I know is the towns that both sides of the family originated from.

That got me wondering, since race has been on my mind lately, if black Americans face a similar disconnect with their lineage, for the obvious reason that most of their ancestors were brought here by the slave trade and forced to use Christian names.

On the other hand, I'd heard and read that black oral traditions were quite good, and maybe some of the African history was able to get passed on.

Funnily enough, I do have a black buddy who I see almost every week, but his knowledge of his family only goes back to his great-grandfather. Is this experience typical for black folks here on DU?

Somebody watched Roots recently.

Flatulo (4,843 posts)
6. So true; you hear of folks tracing their families back to the Mayflower.

I eventually inherited my grandfather's immigration papers, marriage license, and work permits from the Bronx, where they settled. Each document has a different spelling of my name. I have no idea who the **** I am.

My wife works for a bunch of blue blood attorneys and they have cities named after them, lol.

It is kind of sad, and I definitely empathize.

I keep hearing the music to The Godfather while I read these posts.

My son, Michael... he was in the Army. He's a good boy...

Flatulo (4,843 posts)
14. It's definitely a fascinating subject; and the African angle is particularly interesting.

I've pretty much given up on my own family genealogy, but I'm becoming more interested in the wholesale migration of populations over anthropological time. I've got to get one of those commercial DNA swabs to learn the migration patterns of my long distant ancestors. I've heard the results can be quite surprising. One guy I knew who was a good ol' southern boy got here by way of Turkey!

Anyone else hear the theory of how at one time, maybe 70,000 years ago, Homo Sapiens was down to a small community of about 1,000 humans somewhere in Indonsia? A super volcano nearly exterminated us. Interesting stuff. I'd guess we all originated from that small group.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2012/10/22/163397584/how-human-beings-almost-vanished-from-earth-in-70-000-b-c

  I heard that the leader of the group was named Noah...

JimDandy (4,490 posts)
3. As a former professional genealogist who researched many

lines of Black American famililes I can say it is certainly much more difficult establishing lineages of Blacks past the mid 1800's than it is for most other Americans, except Native Americans.

Also, from my experience, I've found it is typical for most Americans, not just Blacks, to know their family line only back to their great-grandparents. 

I do keep waiting for Nadin to jump into this thread...

[Big Dog]

JimDandy (4,490 posts)
3. As a former professional genealogist

One man, one computer, one subscription to ancestors.com.

Why do I suddenly hear the Indiana Jones theme in my head?

who researched many lines of Black American famililes

Tell the truth. You did the same thing Alex Haley did - you made it up.

I can say it is certainly much more difficult establishing lineages of Blacks past the mid 1800's than it is for most other Americans,

Which is how I know you made it up. The poor saps who paid you to use ancestors.com would never know the difference. Did you make every one of them the descendant of an African prince?

except Native Americans.

I hear Elizabeth Warren has that same problem proving her Indian ancestry, but she beleeeeeves it just the same. Cheekbones never lie.

Are you the "professional genealogist" who told her she's the great-great-great-great-granddaughter of a Cherokee princess?

[JohnnyReb]

I hear Elizabeth Warren has that same problem proving her Indian ancestry, but she beleeeeeves it just the same. Cheekbones never lie.

Are you the "professional genealogist" who told her she's the great-great-great-great-granddaughter of a Cherokee princess?

I thought all her ancestors were killed at the battle of "Little Bull Shit"?

[thundley4]

JimDandy (4,490 posts)
3. As a former professional genealogist who researched many

lines of Black American famililes I can say it is certainly much more difficult establishing lineages of Blacks past the mid 1800's than it is for most other Americans, except Native Americans.

Well, it's no wonder they have trouble tracing their ancestry back past the 1800's. I mean they were lucky enough to be brought to America where we have a written language.  In Africa, their ancestors relied on word of mouth.

However, one of the big problems facing blacks today trying to trace their family tree is that they can only go on their mama's side since mama has no clue who their baby daddy is.   

 

[obumazombie]

Well, it's no wonder they have trouble tracing their ancestry back past the 1800's. I mean they were lucky enough to be brought to America where we have a written language.  In Africa, their ancestors relied on word of mouth.

However, one of the big problems facing blacks today trying to trace their family tree is that they can only go on their mama's side since mama has no clue who their baby daddy is.   

 

Most confusing day in the ghetto...father's day.