Courtney B. Vance

May 22, 2016, 6:21 pm

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Birth Name: Courtney Bernard Vance

Place of Birth: Detroit, MI

Date of Birth: March 12, 1960

Ethnicity: African-American (including ancestry from Nigeria, Ivory Coast/Ghana, Cameroon/Congo, and Senegal)

Family Background: Courtney B. Vance is an American actor. When Courtney got DNA tested on the show, “Finding Your Roots” he came up as 85.5% African, 11.8% European, and less than 1 percent Native American. By the African categories Courtney B. Vance’s DNA results were most likely from ancestry DNA.

Source: Finding Your Roots season 2 book page 43-45

Photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

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Anna Deavere

May 22, 2016, 6:24 pm

≫ Next: Khandi Alexander

≪ Previous: Courtney B. Vance

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Birth Name: Anna Deavere Smith

Place of Birth: Baltimore, MD

Date of Birth: September 18, 1950

Ethnicity: African-American (including Ivory Coast, Ghana, Angola, Cameroon, Congo, and Sengal) British Isles, remotely Scandinavian, Finnish, Russian, Italian, and Greek

Family Background: Anna Deavere is an American actress, playwright, and professor. According to a DNA test on, “Finding Your Roots” Anna is 50.7% European and 48.9% African. 41% of her European ancestry is from Great Britain. Anna’s African ancestry was mainly from Ivory Coast and Ghana.

Source: Finding Your Roots book season 2 page 126

Photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Khandi Alexander

May 23, 2016, 8:19 pm

≫ Next: Nyjah Huston

≪ Previous: Anna Deavere

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Place of Birth: New York City, New York

Date of Birth: September 4, 1957

Ethnicity: African-American (including Nigerian), some English and Scottish

Khandi Alexander is an American dancer, choreographer, and actress.

Khandi’s paternal grandparents were ? Alexander (the son of Josephine Gertrude Allen) and Mary Ellen Brown (the daughter of William Brown and Tillie Harrison).

Khandi’s maternal grandparents were Joshua Pinckney Masters, Jr. (the son of Joshua Pinckney Masters, Sr. and Charity Murry) and Willa Lee.

A DNA test taken by the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2014) stated that Khandi’s genetic ancestry is:

*73.9% Sub-Saharan African
*24.1% European
*1.3% East Asian/Native American

In his 2016 book about the show, Finding Your Roots, Season 2: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. wrote that Khandi’s African ancestry includes Nigerian, and that her European ancestry result is West European and Irish, which Gates stated was not surprising for a person with ancestry from England and Scotland.

Source: Genealogy of Khandi Alexander – http://www.pbs.org

Photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Nyjah Huston

May 29, 2016, 5:49 am

≫ Next: Lionel Richie

≪ Previous: Khandi Alexander

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Birth Name: Nyjah Imani Huston

Place of Birth: Davis, California, United States

Date of Birth: November 30, 1994

Ethnicity: African-American, Japanese, possibly English

Nyjah Huston is an American professional skateboarder. He is the son of Adeyemi and Kelle Huston. He stated in an interview that he has some Japanese ancestry. He has a tattoo in Japanese writing on his right forearm.

Nyjah grew up in Puerto Rico, where he lived on a farm under a strict Rastafarian upbringing.

Source: http://www.jenkemmag.com

Lionel Richie

May 31, 2016, 7:11 pm

≫ Next: Santino Rice

≪ Previous: Nyjah Huston

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Birth Name: Lionel Brockman Richie

Place of Birth: Tuskegee, Alabama, United States

Date of Birth: June 20, 1949

Ethnicity: African-American, small amounts of English and Scottish

Lionel Richie is an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, and actor. He was previously a member of the band The Commodores.

Lionel is the son of Alberta R. (Foster) and Lionel/Lyonel Brockman Richie. His adopted daughter is fashion designer and television personality Nicole Richie.

Lionel is of mainly African-American descent. One of his great-great-grandfathers, Morgan Brown, was white, of English and Scottish descent.

Lionel’s paternal grandparents were Charles A. Richie (the son of Henry Richie and Georgia Anna) and Ida J. Garfield.

Lionel’s maternal grandparents were Albert Davidson Foster (the son of George Foster and Betsey) and Adelaide M. Brown (the daughter of John Louis Brown and Volenderver Towson). Lionel’s great-grandfather John was the National leader and co-founder of “The Knights of the Wise Men”, a fraternal organization for black men in the post-Civil War period; John was the son of a white slave owner, Morgan Brown, of English and Scottish descent, and of Mariah, who was a slave.

Sources: Genealogies of Lionel Richie – https://www.geni.com
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com

Obituary of Lionel’s maternal great-grandfather, John Louis Brown – http://www.findagrave.com

Photo by Starfrenzy/Bigstock.com

Santino Rice

June 6, 2016, 5:33 pm

≫ Next: Jennifer Freeman

≪ Previous: Lionel Richie

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Place of Birth: St. Charles, Missouri, U.S.

Date of Birth: August 20, 1974

Ethnicity: African-American, Jewish, Italian, Native American

Santino Rice is an American fashion designer and television personality. He is known for his appearances on the reality television programs Project Runway, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and On the Road with Austin and Santino.

Santino is said to have African-American, Jewish, Italian, and Native American ancestry.

Photo by Joe Seer/Bigstock.com

Jennifer Freeman

June 8, 2016, 9:32 pm

≫ Next: Darryl Strawberry

≪ Previous: Santino Rice

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Birth Name: Jennifer Nicole Freeman

Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, USA

Date of Birth: October 20, 1985

Ethnicity: African-American

Jennifer Freeman is an American actress. She has twin sisters, Megan and Melissa.

Her mother is black. Some sources state that her father is Jewish, but it is not clear if that is accurate.

“Freeman” is her mother’s maiden name.

Photo by Starfrenzy/Bigstock.com

Darryl Strawberry

June 13, 2016, 9:46 pm

≫ Next: CeeLo Green

≪ Previous: Jennifer Freeman

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Birth Name: Darryl Eugene Strawberry

Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California

Date of Birth: March 12, 1962

Ethnicity: African-American

Darryl Strawberry is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is an ordained Christian minister and author. Darryl is the son of Ruby and Henry Strawberry, who are both African-American.

Source: http://www.biography.com

Photo by Prphotos

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CeeLo Green

June 29, 2016, 4:31 am

≫ Next: T-Pain

≪ Previous: Darryl Strawberry

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Birth Name: Thomas DeCarlo Burton

Place of Birth: Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Date of Birth: May 30, 1974

Ethnicity: African-American

CeeLo Green is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor, and businessperson. He was part of the duo Gnarls Barkley.

CeeLo is the son of Sheila J. Tyler-Callaway and Thomas Burton, both ordained ministers. His father died when CeeLo was two years old, and his mother died when he was eighteen years old.

CeeLo’s maternal grandparents were Raymond Robinson and Ruby Calloway (the daughter of Roland B. Calloway and Edna “Lady” Calloway).

Source: Genealogy of CeeLo Green (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.geni.com

Photo by prphotos.com

T-Pain

June 29, 2016, 4:41 am

≫ Next: Amanda Sudano

≪ Previous: CeeLo Green

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Birth Name: Faheem Rashad Najm

Date of Birth: September 30, 1984

Place of Birth: Tallahassee, Florida, United States

Ethnicity: African-American

T-Pain is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer.

T-Pain is the son of Aliyah Diane and Shaheed Mutee Najm. He was born into a Muslim family. In 2012, he said that he does not affiliate himself with any particular religion.

T-Pain’s surname is not common among African-Americans, although many African-Americans took Muslim names after converting to Islam. It does not appear that T-Pain has any recent ancestry other than African-American.

Photo by prphotos.com

Amanda Sudano

June 29, 2016, 4:46 am

≫ Next: Kiersey Clemons

≪ Previous: T-Pain

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Birth Name: Amanda Grace Sudano

Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Date of Birth: August 11, 1982

Ethnicity:
*Italian (father)
*African-American (mother)

Amanda Sudano is an American singer, songwriter, and model. She is the daughter of songwriter Bruce Sudano and singer Donna Summer, and the sister of actress and singer Brooklyn Sudano.

Amanda’s paternal grandparents were Louis John Sudano and Margaret S. Alessio. Their families were from Corleto Monforte, Province of Salerno, Campania, Italy,

Amanda’s maternal grandparents were Andrew Gaines and Mary Ellen Davis.

Sources: Obituary of Amanda’s paternal grandmother, Margaret S. (Alessio) Sudano – http://www.legacy.com

https://it-it.facebook.com

Photo by prphotos.com

Kiersey Clemons

July 8, 2016, 9:26 pm

≫ Next: AzMarie Livingston

≪ Previous: Amanda Sudano

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Place of Birth: (possibly) Los Angeles, California

Date of Birth: December 17, 1993

Ethnicity:
*African-American (father)
*European (mother)

Kiersey Clemons is an American actress and singer. She is known for playing the role of Diggy (a lesbian teenager) in the 2015 film Dope.

Her father is black and her mother is white. In an interview regarding her ethnicity, she stated:

I love to be able to do projects where I can be an advocate for something without having to verbally say it, so New Girl was perfect… And clearly I’m proud to be a Black American woman… Because honestly, as a biracial girl, sometimes people try to come after you, especially when you’re an actor, and say, ‘She doesn’t do enough Black roles’— whatever that means. There are always people who try to attack that part of you. When I got into the business, I was like, ‘S–t, I really need a good role that shows people that I love who I am.’ Because sometimes you can get caught up in stereotypical roles like the girlfriend or the cheerleader, and people feel like you’re not accepting your culture. So, it was cool with Dope that I could do that without fitting into a stereotype of what being Black is.

Source: http://www.dazeddigital.com

Photo by Prphotos

AzMarie Livingston

July 10, 2016, 6:00 am

≫ Next: Don Lemon

≪ Previous: Kiersey Clemons

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Birth Name: Ashley Marie Livingston

Place of Birth: San Fernando Valley, California, U.S.A

Date of Birth: December 28, 1986

Ethnicity: African-American, with small amounts of German and Native American

AzMarie Livingston is an American fashion model, singer, and actress. Regarding her ethnicity, she has stated:

I am African American but my mother’s side has traces of German. My father has traces of Indian.

Photo by Prphotos

Don Lemon

July 14, 2016, 8:51 am

≫ Next: Terri Sewell

≪ Previous: AzMarie Livingston

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Place of Birth: Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Date of Birth: March 1, 1966

Ethnicity: African-American, some Cajun/French

Don Lemon is an American journalist and television news anchor. He hosts the show CNN Tonight.

Don’s parents are both black. One of his great-grandfathers was white. A DNA test stated that he has roots in Nigeria, Cameroon, and the Congo.

Don’s maternal grandparents are Frank Bouligney and Mary H. (the daughter of Harry Rivault and Catherine Jackson). Harry was white, the son of Charles Bertrand Rivault, who was French, and of Marie Antoinette Ferbos, who was of Cajun (French) descent. Catherine was the daughter of Henrietta Jackson.

Source: Family history of Don’s mother’s side – http://blogs.ancestry.com

Photo by Prphotos

Terri Sewell

July 14, 2016, 9:24 am

≫ Next: Leslie Jones

≪ Previous: Don Lemon

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Birth Name: Terrycina Andrea Sewell

Place of Birth: Huntsville, Alabama

Date of Birth: January 1, 1965

Ethnicity: African-American

Terri Sewell is an American politician. A Democrat, she has served as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, from Alabama’s 7th congressional district, since January 3, 2011.

Terri is the daughter of Andrew A. Sewell, a former athletic coach, and Nancy Gardner Sewell, a former city Councilwoman and librarian. Her mother was the first black woman to be elected as a councilwoman at Selma City.

Terri’s maternal grandfather was The Rev. Tom M. Gardner, Jr. (the son of Tom M. Gardner and Willie Frances Sanders). Terri’s great-grandfather Tom was the son of Monroe Gardner and Sylvia “Sibbie” Robinson. Willie was the daughter of Alfred Sanders and Hettie Jackson.

Sources: https://sewell.house.gov

Genealogy of Terri Sewell (focusing on her mother’s side) – http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com

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Leslie Jones

July 17, 2016, 5:40 am

≫ Next: Jussie Smollett

≪ Previous: Terri Sewell

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Place of Birth: Memphis, Tennessee

Date of Birth: September 7, 1967

Ethnicity: African-American

Leslie Jones is an American comedian and actress. She is a cast member of the show Saturday Night Live.

Photo by Prphotos

Jussie Smollett

July 19, 2016, 7:05 am

≫ Next: Leslie Jones

≪ Previous: Leslie Jones

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Birth Name: Jussie Langston Mikha Smollett

Place of Birth: U.S

Date of Birth: June 21, 198?

Ethnicity:
*Ashkenazi Jewish (father)
*African-American, Native American, Louisiana Creole, Irish (mother)

Jussie Smollett is an American actor, singer, and photographer. He is the son of Janet (Harris) and Joel Smollett. His siblings include Jojo Smollett, Jazz Smollett, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Jake Smollett, and Jocqui Smollett, all of whom have been involved in the entertainment business.

Jussie’s father, who was white, was Ashkenazi Jewish (from a family from Russia and Poland). Jussie’s mother is black.

Jussie’s sister Jurnee stated in an interview that her mother has African-American, Native American, Louisiana Creole, and Irish ancestry.

Jussie’s paternal grandmother’s name is Molly.

Source: Interview where Jurnee mentions her background – http://www.tsdmemphis.com

Photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Leslie Jones

July 17, 2016, 5:40 am

≫ Next: Donna Brazile

≪ Previous: Jussie Smollett

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Place of Birth: Memphis, Tennessee

Date of Birth: September 7, 1967

Ethnicity: African-American

Leslie Jones is an American comedian and actress. She is a cast member of the show Saturday Night Live.

Photo by Prphotos

Donna Brazile

July 24, 2016, 6:36 am

≫ Next: Muhammad Wilkerson

≪ Previous: Leslie Jones

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Birth Name: Donna Lease Brazile

Place of Birth: Kenner, Louisiana, U.S.

Date of Birth: December 15, 1959

Ethnicity: African-American

Donna Brazile is an American author, academic, and political analyst. She was acting Chair of the Democratic National Committee, from April 5, 2011 to May 4, 2011.

Donna’s paternal grandfather was Louis Brazile (the son of Louis Brazile and Frances Harriet Harris). Donna’s great-grandfather Louis was the son of Della Brazile, who was born Della Braswell. Her surname was changed slightly.

Donna’s maternal grandparents were Nathaniel Clarence Brown (the son of Willie Brown and Mariah Butler) and Lease.

Source: Genealogy of Donna Brazile – https://www.geni.com

Photo by Prphotos

Muhammad Wilkerson

July 31, 2016, 5:25 am

≫ Next: Matt Forte

≪ Previous: Donna Brazile

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Place of Birth: Linden, New Jersey

Date of Birth: October 22, 1989

Ethnicity: African-American

Muhammad Wilkerson is an American professional football player. He is the son of African-American parents, Janice and Alvin Wilkerson. He was raised in the Muslim faith.

Source: http://www.nj.com