In 2019, Ghana successfully hosted the “Year of Return,” a year-long series of events commemorating the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first recorded enslaved Africans in Virginia, USA.
The initiative drew an estimated 1,500 African Americans, including notable figures such as Tina Knowles-Lawson (Beyoncé’s mother), Boris Kodjoe and his wife Nicole Ari Parker, Steve Harvey, and Jidenna.
These individuals seized the opportunity to reconnect with their roots and deepen their understanding of their ancestral heritage. Despite the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic the following year, their commitment to exploring their origins and learning about the African diaspora remained unwavering.
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For many, this reconnection went beyond education; it sparked a desire to reclaim their African identities, with some even opting to become citizens of African countries.
Here are 11 African Americans who have traced their African roots you should know:
Stevie Wonder
The legendary musician’s recent visit to Ghana marked a significant return to his African roots after being granted citizenship by President Nana Akufo-Addo. Originally from Michigan, the 25-time Grammy Award winner expressed his desire to make West Africa his permanent home in 2021, citing increasing racial tensions in the United States.
Ludacris
The Atlanta-based rapper and actor confirmed his Gabonese citizenship via an Instagram post from Libreville. His wife, Eudoxie Mbouguiengue, hails from Gabon, and during a family trip, she surprised Ludacris, their daughters, and his mother with dual citizenship to her homeland. The family also visited Ghana during the Year of Return, celebrating New Year’s Eve there.
Samuel L. Jackson
The acclaimed actor discovered his roots in the Benga tribe of Gabon after taking a DNA test as part of the documentary series Finding Your Roots. In August 2019, Jackson visited Gabon, where he met with President Ali Bongo Ondimba and his wife, Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, and was granted Gabonese citizenship and a passport.
Tiffany Haddish
In May 2019, the comedian and actress became a full citizen of Eritrea, her father’s birthplace. Raised in the United States, Haddish had always identified as American with Eritrean parentage. Her first visit to Eritrea was in 2018 to bury her father, Tsihaye Reda Haddish.
Idris Elba
Elba received citizenship from Sierra Leone, his father’s native country. Raised in East London, Elba gained fame in America for roles such as Nelson Mandela in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Stringer Bell in HBO’s The Wire.
Erykah Badu
The singer and songwriter discovered her Cameroonian heritage in 2015 and subsequently made a trip to the country. Her visit, documented by OkayAfrica, was a journey of spiritual enlightenment. Badu, who belongs to the Bamileke tribe, engaged with chiefs and locals during her stay.
Don Cheadle
The Hotel Rwanda star, originally from Kansas City, Missouri, traces his paternal ancestry to the Ewondo ethnic group of Cameroon. He also shares maternal ancestry with the Bamileke, Masa, and Tikar people of Central Africa.
Whoopi Goldberg
Although born and raised in New York City, Goldberg’s DNA traces her roots back to Guinea-Bissau. She declined an invitation from the country’s Tourism Ministry to visit due to a fear of flying.
Oprah Winfrey
Through the show African American Lives, Winfrey discovered that her ancestry traces back to the Kpelle people of Liberia, the Bamileke of Cameroon, and Zambia.
Chris Tucker
Best known for his roles in Friday and the Rush Hour movies, Tucker’s roots trace back to Angola and Cameroon.
Blair Underwood
Underwood’s appearance on NBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? revealed that his paternal ancestry traces back to Cameroon. He and his father later made a pilgrimage to their ancestral homeland.
