Martin Luther King traces DNA to S Leone

  1. Posted on Friday 1 October 2010 - 09:45
    Murtala
    Image of Murtala
    Murtala Mohammed Kamara, AfricaNews repoter in Freetown, Sierra Leone
    Martin Luther King III, son of civil right leader Martin Luther King Jr. and Julius Garvey who is also son of Marcus Garvey are the latest African Americans to trace their DNA root to the Mende people of Sierra Leone. Grey Anatomy star Isaiah Washington became the first African American to trace his root to the Mende and Temne people of Sierra Leone.
    Murtala
    Washington became the first African American to receive a Sierra Leonean passport through DNA. Inspired by this discovery, Washington set up an elementary school through his Gondobay Manga Foundation. He has used his personal resources and commits himself to make a better life for the people of Sierra Leone.


    The DNA testing of both King and Garvey which were revealed at the African ancestry reveal dinner and program at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta: Cetennial Ballroom 3&4 establish that King and Garvey’s forefathers lived in Sierra Leone hundreds of years ago before they were forcefully taken to the United States as slaves.


    Garvey and King were among several other African Americans whose DNA results were revealed at the special dinner session on Sunday night at the just ended Africa Policy Forum: A vision for the 21st Century in Atlanta, Georgia.

    Speaking with the press immediately after the declaration both King and Garvey confirmed that they will soon visit Sierra Leone to complete the other formalities to get their citizenship.


    The five days conference which was organized by The Leon H. Sullivan Foundation is the first to be hosted outside Africa. Founded by the late Rev. Dr. Leon H. Sullivan, the conference has attracted several thousands of delegates from within and outside Africa since it started in 1991.

    The conference is focused on building a bridge between Africa and the United State and also foster economic corporation.

    Present and past African leaders were in Atlanta for the African Policy Forum among which Nigeria former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Sierra Leone’s minister of Trade and Development David Carew, Hon. Kasim Reed mayor Atlanta,Georgia and Ambassador Andrew Young US former Ambassador to the United Nations, former mayor Atlanta among others.

    Key areas addressed at this year’s forum included a high level policy meeting on the Obama Administration's policy to Africa, exclusive networking opportunities, exciting entertainment, critical education, health and economic opportunities, ccelebrities and live cultural events and sports.


    Every two years, the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation convenes thousands of delegates from Africa, America, the Caribbean and Europe to an African country for the Leon H. Sullivan Summit - the largest Diaspora gathering in the world.
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    The next summit will be hosted in Morocco.

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