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NA results were

Regarding my biological African ROOTS, I have been trying to verify African Ancestry’s results for my Y-DNA (Akan-Ghana), since 2020. Principally because all the academic journals that discuss the Y-DNA marker “E-CTS421” found it, in what is now, Nigeria. But, also because there was a possibility, that it traced back to Angola (complicated family lore, hence the "biological" part) associated to the 1619 "20 and odd" Africans/FPOC.

I discussed my results with several renowned population and molecular Geneticist (including with Dr. Rick Kittle ). All of whom told me to be patient in my family history research, and don’t discard the results, just yet, remembering the artificial colonial borders, and the reality of genomic testing across the African continent, at that point. Along with the limitations of testing within the walled gardens of every DNA company's database (which is also exactly why I test with as many DNA companies, as I have:

Autosomal:
AncestryDNA; 23andMe; MyHeritage; FamilyTreeDNA

Uniparental (Y-DNA/MtDNA):
African Ancestry Inc; Family Tree DNA; Y-SEQ; Roots For Real; YFULL; and others

I’ve also discussed the different results with several brilliant historians and genealogist, over the years, keeping the results in view, as possibilities.

I even managed to find, in a scientific journal article, an Akan Y-DNA sample, with the same STR numbers that African Ancestry Inc matched me up with.

So… I was patiently impatient. Anxiously waiting for something to break, by way of providing evidence, for (or against) any of the results, I got, across these different companies; and shedding further light into my great grandfather’s paternal ancestry.

This year, 2024, brought just that. And provided overwhelming evidence for African Ancestry's analysis of my Y-DNA origins:

My paternal grandfather’s paternal half sister (my half grand aunt) gifted her grandson an AncestryDNA kit, shortly before she passed on. Our connection is directly through my Y-DNA great grandfather. This is important because my great grandfather's Mother was white from Europe. And his Dad was the admixed African, born in America, to formally enslaved Africans. So autosomally, it's easy to separate which ancestries came from which parent, on a chromosome browser/painter. I get back to this, later, in this email.

Regarding my Y-DNA results…

For a while, African Ancestry was the only Y-DNA company that pointed me directly to Ghana-Akan, for four whole years.
Then “Roots For Real” another Y-DNA & MtDNA testing company (whom I tested with as well) underwent a massive update to their database of reference samples. So I decided to have them re-analyze the prior sample, I submitted, against the updated database. This time, the found matches to men from the Akan macro group, from Ghana.

Then, over at 'Family Tree DNA', my BigY700 (most extensive Y-DNA test available at FamilyTreeDNA) received a major update to my Big Y Block Tree. They matched me to a recent tester, whose Father’s side is indigenous/Native to Ghana.

Autosomal DNA evidence to back African Ancestry:

And as I’ve already mentioned, my paternal grandfather's paternal half-sister's grandchild took an ancestryDNA test (which we share my direct-line paternal great granddad, as our most recent common ancestor). And it adds more support for African Ancestry's analysis along with breaking other brick walls down. One of the chromosomes my father and my Father's paternal neice share with my paternal 2nd cousin is chromosome 12, which is painted as matching their Ghana reference data. It shows up on my 12th chromosome as well, but AncestryDNA attributed it to the wrong parent, so now I've got to address that chromosome painting error, with them 😩.
That, being said, my Father's, 1st cousin (connects to my grandfather), and 2nd cousin's ( connects to my great grandfather) paternal Ghanaian Ancestry, indicates that my direct paternal Y-DNA 2nd great grandfather, was partially Ghanaian; and which African Ancestry (and the other Y-DNA test) indicates that the autosomal segment was inherited from the Y-DNA ancestor, who more specifically may have been an Akan individual.

I now have autosomal DNA painting support, for this Ghanaian connection on my paternal Y-side, too. How cool is that?!?!?

So, this morning, I just wanted to send you this bit of praise of the excellent analysis, Dr. Kittles and the team did for my Patriclan.

I was so excited when I received my certificate. It was cool to see where my material ancestors were from in Cameroon. Next, I want to do my paternal side. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

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Good tracking system. Thank you.