The Washington Informer: Opinions/Editorials

I wonder what difference it would have made in Reverend Sharpton’s life had this hidden piece of family history been talked about among family members in his youth. That would mean that not only would Sharpton have known about his connection to the Thurmonds, but he also would have known and hopefully appreciated his own family’s history which included but did not begin with his great-grandfather, Coleman Sharpton, who was a slave given to Julia Thurman, Strom Thurman’s great-great granddaughter.

It is important to note that Rev. Sharpton’s family line did not begin with Coleman Sharpton and that many of his ancestors did not begin their lives as slaves. Consequently, as Rev. Sharpton continues his search for his roots, he may discover more shocking news, but more importantly, he may discover a family history he can be extremely proud of.

Reverend Sharpton’s recent revelation which he described as “an opportunity for America to think about how far it has come” also raises the significance of Black History Month. It is a clear reminder of how far we – African Americans – along with America and Africa have come.

Last year, many Americans watched with deep curiosity the four-part PBS special aired in February featuring historian and scholar Henry Louis Gates who led a few celebrity notables like comedian Chris Tucker, Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones and Whoopi Goldberg back to their roots in slavery and further back to their African past. With the help of DNA testing and genealogy, not only did Gates lead the group to their respective American slave ancestry, but he was able to locate Tucker’s tribal home in Angola where his family line likely began.

In Henry Louis Gates’ new book Finding Oprah’s Roots: Finding Your Own, he helps Winfrey discover many of her family’s unsung heroes which proves to be a remarkable journey for renowned talk show host. The book also offers readers the tools they need to discover their own.

Gates has suggested that his endeavors into genealogy and DNA were inspired by his envy of Alex Haley’s epic family story called Roots. He has learned much about his own family.

“All these stories of our people are buried,” he said once during an interview. “They’re waiting to be discovered. I hope to encourage every African American to do their family tree and to find their roots deep in the tomb of slavery and make that tomb speak.”

Like Gates, I, too, was inspired by Roots. In preparation for a family reunion several years ago, I researched my family history on the Rolark side (my dad) only to hit a dead-end early in the game.

I wished I had taken advantage of the assistance offered by James Dent Walker before he died in 1993. Walker, the uncle of my best friend, who assisted Haley with his research for Roots, was the founder and a president of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (National), with chapters throughout the United States. He was also the founder and a president of the District of Columbia Genealogical Society. He wrote and lectured extensively on Black genealogy. After his death he was inducted into the National Genealogical Society’s Hall of Fame.

But I was even more inspired by Gates’ documentary and later encouraged by Sam Ford, WJLA News 7 reporter, who discovered his roots through DNA, as well. As a result, I promised myself that my Black History gift to myself and my family was to pay African Ancestry the fee to test my DNA for my mother’s side of my family and provide the kit to my brother to get further research on our father’s side.

In just a few short weeks, the tomb holding our roots will begin to speak. Like Reverend Sharpton, I expect mixed emotions from anger and outrage, to reflection, pride and glory.

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You can reach Denise Rolark Barnes at drbarnes@washingtoninformer.com