Oprah's roots

I saw a really interesting program on PBS last night, hosted by Dr. Louis Gates.

He used a certain internationally famous talk show hostess as a case study in linking modern African Americans to their ancestors using both traditional genealogical methods AND thru genetic testing.

Of course, I refer to Oprah Winfrey.

The funny thing was she has been running around talking about how certain she was of a connection to the Zulu tribe of South Africa. (Wonder if that's what compelled her to open that girls school down there last year . . .)

Anyway, the DNA testing proved that she was actually descended from the less-glamorous Kpelle people of modern-day Liberia.

Isn't it amazing how science is helping genealogists make connections in the absence of written records?!