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‘No. No, no, no, no.’ Famous black activist’s PRICELESS reaction to ‘finding her roots’

February 23, 2023 | | Print Article

Twitter users reveled in a clip showing former black power activist and self-avowed Marxist Angela Davis discovering that one of her ancestors traveled to the United States on the Mayflower.

While most people are excited to learn about their genetic origins, that excitement quickly turned to shock for Davis upon discovering she is related to some of the very first Europeans to set foot on American soil.

Henry Louis Gates, Jr., host of “Finding Your Roots” helped Davis trace her ancestry. He shared the clip on Twitter of her learning her true heritage:

“Any idea what you’re looking at?” Gates asked his guest. “That is a list of the passengers on the Mayflower.”

No, I can’t believe this,” she said between laughs. “No, my ancestors did not come here on the Mayflower.”

But Gates assured her that the information is not wrong.

“Your ancestors came here on the Mayflower,” he said. “You are descended from one of the 101 people who sailed on the Mayflower.”

“No. No, no, no, no,” she responded, still letting out chuckles of disbelief. “Oof. That’s a little bit too much to deal with right now.”

In the episode, it is revealed that Davis’s biological father’s name is Murphy Jones. Through Jones’ genetic data, they were able to track her ancestry all the way back to one William Brewster, who was one of the original signers of the Mayflower Compact.

But the surprises didn’t stop there. At another point in the episode, it is revealed that Davis’s maternal grandfather John Austin Darden, had DNA that was traced back to a man by the name of Stephen Darden. Darden served in the Revolutionary War before moving to Georgia, purchasing a farm, and owning 6 slaves, or possibly more.

Finding out that not only is she a descendent of a colonial, but also a slave owner was a lot for Davis to absorb.

“I always imagined my ancestors as the people who were enslaved,” she admitted. “My mind and my heart are swirling with all of these contradictory emotions.”

The plot twist had Twitter users racing to their keyboards:

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