Surprise. Surprise. Surprise. Pt. 2

(Cont).

As you might imagine, based upon my earlier inference, my mother did not live long enough to see the results of her DNA test; while she had been privy to my own earlier results from a different company. (Of course, 50 percent of my DNA derives from each of my parents, and only my mother’s siblings would have the exact same combination of genetic markers, and ethnic lineage).

 

Ultimately, I received the following online notification:

“Erma, we have processed your DNA kit. Click now to begin viewing the results of your family’s national origins, and potential medical concerns which your submission has identified.”

Well, Erma had gone on to her reward, and at this stage could care less about her family’s national origins. (I suspect the moment she walked through the pearly gates such trivial pursuits as this had been intuitively answered for her). And in terms of her ‘potential medical concerns,’ she not only had no medical concerns at the moment, but whatever list of literally 50 diagnoses she had experienced in her waning years had already done their worst, and had destroyed her body, (but had not been able to destroy her soul).

Of course, one of my mother’s survivors, in particular, was very interested in her genetic heritage, and to a lesser degree, her medical. (And it goes without saying that that particular survivor was and continues to be yours truly).

As I sat down to study my mother’s hard-won DNA results, (See Pt. 1) everything seemed pretty much in order, and rather like the results of my own DNA test, 

…except three variables, in particular.

Sub-Saharan Africa - 1.8 percent

West Africa - 1.7 percent

Africa - other - .1 percent

If I was to believe the numbers, my mother had been 3.6 percent African American! (My grandmother 7.2 percent African American! My great grandmother 14.4 percent African American)!

…With the subsequent implication, that yours truly is 1.8 percent African-American!

(Exclamation marks included for emphasis).

Granted, my own DNA test omitted any indication, whatever of African-American heritage among the countless surnames in my family lineage. However, the results of similar tests owned and administered by two or more source agencies sometimes differ. Nonetheless, in terms of the most recent finding among my maternal ancestors, I have every reason to believe it is ‘spot on.’

After all, the photos I have of my maternal great grandmother depict her as a rather dark-complexioned woman. And of course, my grandmother and great aunts were known and loved by me, as was my mother, …and they were also significantly darker than the average European-American. 

Beyond the obvious, (and as I have previously implied) an oral tradition had circulated in our family that among my grandmother’s paternal surnames of ‘Chaney’ and ‘Eldridge’ existed a preponderance of Native American heritage. Although my grandmother nay-sayed the possibility that any ethnicity of the darker persuasion existed, since I received the results of my mother’s DNA test I am convinced that the Native American myth was created by one of my forebears out of ‘whole cloth;’ in order to dispel the persuasion that one or more of our direct ancestors were “straight outta Africa.”

To be honest, an inherent prejudice has been woven into the hearts and minds of a significant percentage of white southerners. They retain their historic biases about interracial marriage; while at the same time they consider themselves  decent, kind and fair; in terms of their support of and respect for the civil rights of our African-American population.


By William McDonald, PhD. From (Mc)Donald's Daily Diary. Vol. 41. Copyright pending

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