Two Maryland Church Congregations Trace their African Ancestry through DNA

In 2003, Gina Paige and Dr. Rick Kittes founded African Ancestry, Inc. Paige and Kittes are the president and scientific director, respectively, of an organization where over 50,000 people, including celebrities and national leaders, have used their services. African Ancestry has been at the forefront of DNA testing. It has the world’s largest database collection of African lineages (representing over 30 countries and over 200 ethnic groups) that can trace people of African descent back to a specific African country and tribe.

African Ancestry partnered with Ebenezer AME Church, in Fort Washington, Maryland where the pastors are Rev. Drs. Grainger and JoAnn Browning, and Mount Ennon Baptist Church, in Clinton, Maryland where the pastor is Rev. Delman Coates. Gina Paige wanted to reach out to the faith-based community to raise awareness about their DNA testing service.

Paige said, “We thought about what groups of people are Africa focused… Africa-centered. So we were drawn to certain pastors who celebrate Africa within their church and that sort of sparked us to identify churches throughout the community that celebrate Africa because they may travel to Africa or may have missionary projects in Africa. And we know that once people identify their roots they are much more interested in connecting so we thought that would be a natural path.”

You might have watched Dr. Henry Louis Gates’ popular PBS special, “African American Lives” that featured celebrities and notables such as Oprah Winfrey, Chris Tucker, Spike Lee , Morgan Freeman, Roberta Flack and many more who discovered their African ancestry through DNA testing. Rev. Dr. Grainger Browning said, “I saw the PBS special with Dr. Henry Gates. When I saw it I said, ‘Wow that would be wonderful if we could determine our African roots in that way.’ Then I was introduced to Gina Paige at a Rainbow PUSH meeting. So when I found out that it was possible I was excited… because of the fact we are the only people on the face of the earth who don’t know specifically what country or culture we are from… and to have that knowledge is so empowering. It’s one thing to go to Africa but it’s another when you know what tribe you are actually apart of…because African persons go back thousands of years in their oral history…so it gives you an empowering situation. So I thought it was important for the congregation to have that empowering moment.”