For my birthday, my husband gave me a precious gift: my identity. My husband has always known who he was. He has a family crest and can trace his ancestry back centuries. Me? I’ve wandered around in complete ignorance, mostly because my family, descendants of slaves, kept horrible records even...
www.beyondblackwhite.com
For my birthday, my husband gave me a precious gift: my identity.
My husband has always known who he was. He has a family crest and can trace his ancestry back centuries. Me? I’ve wandered around in complete ignorance, mostly because my family, descendants of slaves, kept horrible records even after the practice was abolished. My mother, who suffers from a serious case of shade inferiority due to color-struck relatives, stumbled around my questions about my lineage, and would reply with the oft-repeated, “You have Indian in you,” for no other reason than because my hair grows long. She’s make these statements proudly but with further explanation or proof.
Turns out my mother was only half right. I do have Indian in me, but not of the Native American variety. My Indian roots come from the source–India, Pakistan, China. Wait till I tell her. She might need to take a moment to recover.
I discovered this fact because my husband sent for the
National Geographic GENO 2.0 DNA kit as a birthday gift. He wanted me to know who I was, and he wanted our children to know as well. This is such an extraordinary gift, because many African Americans focus on slavery as Year One, with no deeper understand where their ancestors came from. Knowing who you are, your lineage, is incredibly empowering. I have now recaptured a part of my history that was stolen from me so long ago.
I just found out the results tonight so as I write this, I’m still processing this new information. I, Christelyn Karazin, am 77% Luhya, a Bantu-speaking tribe from Kenya.
Kenya!!
In fact, I’m more “African” than the average African American. My remaining lineage comes from Eastern Europe (think Scandinavia, Russia, etc), Mediterranean, and Southwest Asian.
Here’s how my lineage compares to the average Kenyan:
Time to start saving for a trip “back home,” and now I know EXACTLY where to go.
But here’s the mystery: how did my folks get to the U.S.? My maiden name is Russell, which is English.
100%?
ChatGTP, prompt: "This is by a person who claims to be African American..."
I
can’t identify who the person is, but I
can explain what the chart represents and whether it is
consistent with someone who identifies as African American.
What this chart is
This is a
Geno 2.0 / National Geographic Genographic Project ancestry breakdown.
It shows
population-level genetic percentages, not personal identity.
The chart compares:
- Luhya (Kenya) – a known reference population
- “You” – the test taker’s genetic breakdown
So the lower bar belongs to the person who took the ancestry test.
Does this chart come from someone who could identify as African American?
Yes — this breakdown is entirely consistent with someone who is African American, because:
✔ 1. Majority Sub-Saharan African ancestry (77%)
Many African Americans have genetic ranges roughly
70–90% Sub-Saharan African, depending on region and family history.
✔ 2. Some European ancestry (7%)
Most African Americans have
lower but noticeable percentages of European ancestry due to historical events in the U.S. dating back to slavery.
✔ 3. Small Mediterranean, North African, or Southwest Asian percentages (3–6%)
These regions are common in African American admixture results because:
- Mediterranean ≠ “European only”; it can reflect North African or ancient migrations
- Southwest Asian sometimes reflects ancient African–Middle Eastern genetic exchange
- These percentages are typical in African-descended populations throughout the diaspora
So the profile is
very normal for an African American test taker.
But does the chart prove the person is African American?
No.
Genetic percentages
cannot tell you someone’s nationality, ethnicity, or how they self-identify.
It only tells you:
- “This is the genetic ancestry of the person who took the test.”
Not:
- “This person is African American.”
The chart could belong to:
- An African American
- A Caribbean descendant
- A Central/South American Black person
- An African immigrant
- Anyone with this genetic mix
Genetics ≠ identity.
In short
The DNA profile is consistent with an African American person,
but the chart itself does NOT show whether the person claims that identity.
If you want, I can also break down each ancestry percentage, explain what “Luhya reference population” means, or compare this to modern African American averages.
Prompt: Yes, continue:
Great — here is a
deep, clear breakdown of every part of the chart and how it relates to
African American genetic patterns, ancient migrations, and how the Genographic Project interprets ancestry.
1. What “Luhya (Kenya)” means in the chart
The Genographic Project uses
reference populations (like Luhya, Yoruba, Han Chinese, Basque, etc.) to
anchor your DNA in known genetic clusters.
The
Luhya are:
- a major ethnic group in western Kenya
- a genetically well-studied East African population
- used as a benchmark for Sub-Saharan African ancestry
Your results are
not saying you come from the Luhya people.
They’re just comparing your % values to a known African reference group.
2. Your Sub-Saharan African (77%) — what this really represents
For African Americans, Sub-Saharan African ancestry typically comes from:
- West Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Gambia, Sierra Leone)
- Central Africa (Cameroon, Congo)
- Southeast Africa (Mozambique, Madagascar) — smaller %
77% is typical for African Americans (range 65–90% is normal depending on geography).
This percentage reflects:
- Transatlantic slave trade origins
- Intermixing over 12–15 generations
- Shared West/Central African lineage common in Afro-diaspora populations
3. Your Northern European (7%) — historical explanation
African American communities often have
5–25% European DNA.
Why?
- During U.S. slavery (1600s–1865), enslaved Africans were frequently mixed with European men (mostly nonconsensual).
- Early colonial population sizes were small, and mixed children became part of the African American community.
- This ancestry is predominantly British / Irish with sometimes German or Scandinavian traces.
So
7% Northern European is extremely normal for someone with African American ancestry.
4. Mediterranean, Southwest Asian, South African (3–6%) — what they mean
These small percentages do
NOT mean the person is Italian, Turkish, Arab, or South African.
They represent
deep ancient connections caused by:
✔ Mediterranean (5%)
This often represents:
- North African influence (Berber)
- Ancient migrations across the Sahara
- Shared ancestry between Africa and Southern Europe
✔ Southwest Asian (3%)
Often found in:
- Ethiopia / Eritrea
- Somali / Cushytic populations
- North African admixture
- Ancient Middle Eastern migrations into Africa
✔ South African (6%)
This category doesn’t mean “modern South African person.”
It is a
genetic cluster used by the Genographic Project.
It usually reflects:
- Bantu migrations
- Khoisan admixture
- East African/Southeastern African influences
These numbers are
common in African Americans, due to:
- Broad West/Central African genetic variation
- Ancient African migration routes
- The fact that ancestry isn’t limited to modern borders
5. Is the person African American? Can the chart tell that?
Genetics can NOT tell identity.
They can only show where your DNA clusters compared to reference populations.
But this
pattern (77% Sub-Saharan + 7% European + a few % Mediterranean/SWA) is
very typical for African Americans.
Could also match:
- Afro-Caribbean
- Afro-Latino
- Afro-Brazilian
- Cape Verdean
- African diaspora outside the U.S.
So the chart is consistent with African American heritage, but it cannot prove identity.
6. Why Geno 2.0 results look different from 23andMe / AncestryDNA
Genographic Project used:
- Anthropological clusters
- Very old reference populations
- Deep-time ancestry (50,000+ years)
Other tests use:
- Modern countries
- Modern ethnicity groups
- More reference samples
So your results will look more “continental” and less “modern ethnic.”
7. If you want, I can break down:
- Your likely West African regions based on the percentages
- Common African American admixture pathways
- Geography of your ancestral components
- How your profile compares to African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos
- A speculative breakdown of your Transatlantic Slave Trade origins
Just tell me:
Do you want a deeper breakdown of your Sub-Saharan African % by likely regions?
Prompt: Yes,
1. West African (Largest Portion – typically 45–65%)
Very strong in African Americans
Putting It All Together: Your Likely African Composition
Figures
