Ai Gemini scanned this image and gave this result:Most FBAs do when you open your eyes. Especially FBAs from the Northeast to Midatlantic, home of the Algonquin Indians that were later reclassified as colored, then negro, then African American.
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The first contact between Cherokees and Europeans was in 1540, when Hernando de Soto and several hundred of his conquistadors traveled through Cherokee territory during their expedition in what is now the southeastern United States.
“This historical photograph shows a group of Cherokee Nation leaders, with the man in the suit at the center being James C. Frazier, a prominent Cherokee Freedman.
Cherokee Freedmen are the descendants of people who were enslaved by members of the Cherokee Nation before the American Civil War. After the war, treaties between the Cherokee Nation and the U.S. government granted these Freedmen citizenship within the Cherokee Nation.
The image is significant because it documents a period in the 1920s when Cherokee Freedmen were actively involved in tribal government and society.
It provides a visual record of this complex and often-overlooked aspect of Cherokee history, highlighting the diversity of the Cherokee Nation and the long-standing debate over the rights and citizenship of its Freedmen descendants.”
So “your ancestors” documented this:
“The first contact between Cherokees and Europeans was in 1540, when Hernando de Soto and several hundred of his conquistadors traveled through Cherokee territory during their expedition in what is now the southeastern United States.”

De Soto in East Tennessee, May-June 1540 - Tennessee Historical Society
Hernando de Soto and his private army emerged from the dense forest of the Blue Ridge at the end of May in 1540, and […]

Early History and Relationships Between Nations
Ai Gemini responded to “Algonquin Indians Haplogroup”:
“The genetic ancestry of Algonquin people, like other Indigenous groups in the Americas, is primarily characterized by specific haplogroups that trace back to the first migrations from Asia. However, there are some unique aspects to consider for the Algonquin and related Algonquian-speaking tribes.
Y-DNA Haplogroups (Paternal Lineages)
* Haplogroup Q: This is the most common Y-DNA haplogroup among Indigenous peoples of the Americas. It is a defining marker of patrilineal descent from the original populations that migrated across the Bering Strait. Within Haplogroup Q, there are numerous sub-clades, and specific ones are found in different parts of the Americas. A specific subclade, Q-Y4294, has been identified as being particularly relevant to some Algonquian-speaking peoples. This lineage is estimated to have formed over 11,000 years ago.
* Haplogroup R1b: While often associated with Western European populations, some R1b lineages, specifically R1b1a1a2 (M269) subclades, are found in various Native American groups. A notable concentration of this haplogroup has been observed in some Algonquian-speaking tribes in Eastern North America. This particular finding has led to much discussion and research, but it is important to note that these are specific subclades distinct from the most common European R1b lines and may represent a very ancient, pre-European contact migration.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Haplogroups (Maternal Lineages)
* Founding Haplogroups: The vast majority of Indigenous Americans, including Algonquin people, belong to one of a few founding mtDNA haplogroups: A, B, C, D, and X. These haplogroups are considered the original maternal lineages of the first migrations to the Americas.
* Haplogroup X: While Haplogroups A, B, C, and D are more widespread in Asia and the Americas, Haplogroup X has a unique distribution. It is found in Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and is also present in some Native American populations, particularly in North America. Its presence in the Americas has been a topic of much scientific debate, but recent findings suggest it is a founding lineage that arrived in North America during a separate or slightly later migration wave from the same Beringian source. It is known to be found in several Algonquian-speaking tribes.
Summary
In short, the genetic makeup of Algonquin people, as revealed by haplogroup analysis, is a complex tapestry reflecting their deep history.
It includes:
* The major Indigenous Y-DNA Haplogroup Q, with specific subclades found in Algonquian populations.
* A notable, but still debated, presence of certain R1b subclades, which may represent an ancient, pre-European lineage.
* The five major Indigenous mtDNA Haplogroups (A, B, C, D, and X), with Haplogroup X being a particularly interesting and well-studied marker in eastern North America.
It's important to remember that these are broad genetic markers. Tribal identity is not defined by DNA, but by cultural, social, and historical ties to a specific community. Genetic studies provide insights into a people's ancient origins and migration patterns, but they do not replace the importance of oral traditions, history, and community affiliation in defining who is Algonquin.”
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