FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Center takes genealogy and DNA research to Ghana
Paves way for reuniting African families torn by the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade

FREDERICKSBURG, VA – Friday, November 13, 2009 – The Sankofa Project™ was launched at the Public Records and Archives Administration in Ghana on October 30, 2009. Several hundred Ghanaians from the Ewe, Ga, Fante, Nzema and Asante tribes participated in the genealogy and DNA workshop in hopes to discover their distant relatives in the Diaspora. CAAGRI Communications Director, Greg Russell noted that the organization’s efforts are unique and the first of its kind. “We are a non-profit organization that is committed to restoring the legacies of our African ancestors and this is our effort towards that end. This kind of outreach has never been done before and we are just very humbled to be able to make a contribution to history.”

In addition to the possibilities of reconnecting families, the project will also help researchers better understand human migration patterns which in turn will verify true tribal origins. CAAGRI’s founder and CEO, Paula D. Royster said “there are no guarantees that any DNA matches will occur“. However, Royster continued, “this is a first step in a long process to identify geographic regions, tribal affiliations and then true genetic matches.”

Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism Director of Research, Statistics and Information, Emmanuel Victor Hagan, hailed the project as an opportunity for learning and healing the African family. Speaking at the workshop, Hagan passionately declared: “We don’t really understand the hurt and pain our brothers and sisters in the Diaspora feel. The slave trade was very, very bad and our brothers and sisters still ache and long for a connection to us. This project may help them to come back home“

Office space has been provided to CAAGRI at Ft. Frederichsburg in Prince’s Town, Ghana where ongoing DNA and genealogy research will continue.

Collaborators on the Sankofa Project include: FamilyTree DNA, PRAAD, Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism and the people of Prince’s Town, Ghana.

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For more information about CAAGRI, please visit the website: www.caagri.org

About The Center for African American Genealogical Research, Inc. (CAAGRI)

Founded in 2004, The Center for African American Genealogical Research, Inc. is a non-profit organization that provides free genealogical data to the community at large. The only organization of its kind, CAAGRI’s specialized services provides a location for African Americans to conduct in-depth genealogical research, free computer training, mentoring programs for at risk youth and low-moderate income families and organizes special projects that include historical preservation efforts.

About Family Tree DNA (www.familytreedna.com )

Founded in April 2000, Family Tree DNA was the first company to develop the commercial application of DNA testing for genealogical purposes, something that had previously been available only for academic and scientific research. Almost a decade later, the Houston-based company has a database with over 265,000 individual records – the largest DNA database in genetic genealogy, a number that makes it the prime source for anyone researching recent and distant family ties.

About PRAAD (www.praad.gov.gh )
The former National Archives of Ghana was first located at the former Colonial Secretary’s office, now Ministry of Interior. In an attempt to group together the scattered records of the Colonial Administration, Miss Majorie Harris, a British librarian by profession, was appointed in 1946 to head a separate division to be known as the Archives. PRAAD houses over 4.5 million records on Native Affairs, Legal Matters, Newspapers, Private papers and a repository of photographs.