From CSI to The Maury Povich Show, DNA and DNA testing has become a part of American popular culture. But what is DNA?\nIn simple terms, DNA is a string of proteins that contain coded blueprints for our bodies. It tells our bodies how to grow. We inherit our DNA from our parents, which is where its genealogical value comes in.
Too small to be seen with the naked eye, the dna serves as the database of our cells. Information on all living beings around them is hidden within this miniature database within every cell of every organism.
On 20 October 2009, this column addressed the topic of Y-DNA testing for genealogical purposes. This relatively new development in science holds revolutionary potential for genealogy, especially African-American research. The most recent issue of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly (Sep 2009) contains the case study of an African-American family where Y-DNA testing revealed direct male line European ancestry.[1]