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Vh1, Spike Lee, Oprah find African ancestry

February 1st, 2007 Posted in Business, Film/Television, General, Music, Travel

Spike Lee at Oprah's eventToday is February 1st and the beginning of Black History month here in the US. In the past I haven’t really followed the events which take place for Black History month because it had turned into just a part of big business’ marketing calendar. But this year Black History Month might turn out to be worth noting for both Africans and African-Americans. Vh1 is leading the pack with it’s debut of a 30-seond spot directed by director Spike Lee encouraging African-Americans to scientifically determine their African lineage.

The spot which debuts today (February 1st) on the VH1 soul channel will feature several African-Americans initially mentioning the American cities that they are from. The people are then featured again, holding swabs and naming the African region that their ancestors are from. The spot then encourages viewers to “take pride in their original homes during Black History Month”. The campaign feature DNA-based ancestry tests performed by African Ancestry, Inc., a company that uses swabbed DNA to genetically determine where in Africa a person’s African ancestors came from. DNA ancestry tests have gained mainstream popularity particularly through the efforts of Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr’s four-part PBS series “African American Lives,” which used DNA to trace the roots of Oprah Winfrey, Chris Tucker and other prominent African Americans all the way from slave plantations to the shores of Africa. Dr. Gates, a professor who heads Harvard’s Afro-American Studies program, also hosted another recent PBS special centered around tracing Oprah Winfrey’s genealogy and is releasing a book and DVD “Finding Oprah’s Roots — Finding Your Own”.

VH1 will also be launching a new music video show “One Planet. One Soul” beginning Sunday, February 4 showcasing soul artists from the U.K., Africa, Canada, Australia, including Akon, K’Naan, and Rhian Benson. “One Planet. One Soul” will air every Sunday at 10:00 am, 6:00 pm and 2:00 am.

Oprah Winfrey and Henry Louis Gates discover African roots

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  • ibrahiama s Diakite
    Im an African from Sierra leone, living in China.I want know the African ancestry of Danzel washington.He influences me alot. thks
  • sierra leone
    I have two adopted brothers from haiti i was born in salone. Everytime I talked to them about africa they don't seem to care. I rhe problem is that blacks have been brainwashed by the europeans tyrants that raped are contient ot not relate to africa or look less upon them. If you are black you are african if you are not native to your country your are not that nationality. Being black is a curse and a previllage. We are the most discrimnated race aginst ever since time started. We are so different from everyone else that they cannot comprehend it. I see God working in theis dna process blacks were meant to be call natives of africa not countries that we are not from. Black power to all who are persecuted for the color of their skin. Love one another. We black we have ot start looking towards the futre and not forget where we came from. BLack Power they can kill they only make us stronger. God will rescue Africa again brothers
  • Abdi Monko
    Dear Kofi
    Just tell you here in Denmark we have a lot of African peopel from Ghana. I know some from Ghana living here in Denmark. I will try to get them so they also can write you. And then we can help our sister Wiah from Denmark finding her roots. We think she is a Kru because Georges Weah is from the Kru tribe in Liberia. And Wiah and Weah is the same kind of name.
    Abdi
  • Thanks for the links. I am from Ghana.

    Let me know if you guys need any other help from me and I will see who I can contact for more information. I haven't had a chance to speak to anyone at African Ancestry yet but will contact them soon.
  • Bjaren
    Dear Kofi
    I have found links about tribes in Careroon and Niger. Where Spike Lee have his roots. Maybe you can help us here in Denmark about African Roots?


    http://www.nigerembassyusa.org/profile.html

    http://www.stutterisa.org/cameroon/scac1.html

    May I then aks you Kofi do you have your roots in Ghana like that Kofi Atta Annan?
    Bjarne
  • Hello Abdi,
    Thanks for the kind words.

    I'm not sure of the exact tribes, but Spike Lee has traced his roots to Cameroon (on his father's side) and Niger (on his mother's side).I agree that he is a great director and one of the only African-American directors to consistently produce inspiring movies. I hope that soon he'll point his lens towards producing an Africa-themed project. He is the only person who will be able to re-produce Alex Hailey's series "Roots".

    Thanks for visiting Abdi.
  • Abdi Monko
    Dear Kofi
    My name Abdi. I do also live in Denmark. I am from Africa.
    I have read about you on the internet. The things you are doing are very great. I think it will be nice if all black people make the DNA test at that company Africa Ancestry. So we can find each other all over the world.
    But I have to ask you, do you know which tribes Spike Lee have in his blood?
    He make all that great movies. As the one "When the Levees Broke". Great.
    Abdi





    African Ancestry
  • Hi Guys. Thanks for visiting.

    In regards to finding Karen's father, see my post on African Ancestry Inc. http://annansi.com/blog/2007/06/hip-hops-african-ancestry-at-odyssey-awards/

    Since they are specific to African lineage, they might be better able to assist you than some of the other general ancestry companies.

    Please keep us posted on developing.
  • BSJensen
    Sorry
    I just have some problems with the internet. My name is Bjarne. I am also from Denmark.
    I know that Wiah from the internet. And I think maybe she has forgot to put the links in about her birth.
    Bjarne
  • BSJensen
  • Karen-Rebekka Wiah
    You can read more about me and my life on the links below. It is from a union for unemployed in Denmark.
    But it is written in danish. I am sorry.

    http://www.ladk.dk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=917

    http://www.ladk.dk/
    Karen-Rebekka
  • Karen-Rebekka Wiah
    And now I want to make a company which gonna help black people find each other and their lost family.
    And I am now looking for people who want to join me with that company.
  • Karen-Rebekka Wiah
    Will you please read the link. It is my story. I live in Denmark and here they had make my father unknown. So nobody from his family could come and vistied us. But on my birth citification it says that it was a Samuel Wiah who was my father. I just wonder why they had make it in that way. I think maybe it was because Denmark don't want my father's family in the land.


    http://www.uniboa.org/weah07.html

    Karen-Rebekka Wiah
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