1
|
Harney É, Micheletti S, Bruwelheide KS, Freyman WA, Bryc K, Akbari A, Jewett E, Comer E, Louis Gates H, Heywood L, Thornton J, Curry R, Ancona Esselmann S, Barca KG, Sedig J, Sirak K, Olalde I, Adamski N, Bernardos R, Broomandkhoshbacht N, Ferry M, Qiu L, Stewardson K, Workman JN, Zalzala F, Mallick S, Micco A, Mah M, Zhang Z, Rohland N, Mountain JL, Owsley DW, Reich D. The genetic legacy of African Americans from Catoctin Furnace. Science 2023; 381:eade4995. [PMID: 37535739 PMCID: PMC10958645 DOI: 10.1126/science.ade4995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Few African Americans have been able to trace family lineages back to ancestors who died before the 1870 United States Census, the first in which all Black people were listed by name. We analyzed 27 individuals from Maryland's Catoctin Furnace African American Cemetery (1774-1850), identifying 41,799 genetic relatives among consenting research participants in 23andMe, Inc.'s genetic database. One of the highest concentrations of close relatives is in Maryland, suggesting that descendants of the Catoctin individuals remain in the area. We find that many of the Catoctin individuals derived African ancestry from the Wolof or Kongo groups and European ancestry from Great Britain and Ireland. This study demonstrates the power of joint analysis of historical DNA and large datasets generated through direct-to-consumer ancestry testing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Éadaoin Harney
- 23andMe, Inc.; Sunnyvale, CA 94043, USA
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | | | - Karin S. Bruwelheide
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution; Washington DC 20560, USA
| | | | | | - Ali Akbari
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth Comer
- Catoctin Furnace Historical Society; Thurmont, MD, 21788, USA
| | - Henry Louis Gates
- Hutchins Center for African and African American Research, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Linda Heywood
- Department of History/African American Studies, Boston University; Brookline, MA 02446, USA
| | - John Thornton
- Department of History/African American Studies, Boston University; Brookline, MA 02446, USA
| | - Roslyn Curry
- 23andMe, Inc.; Sunnyvale, CA 94043, USA
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | | | - Kathryn G. Barca
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution; Washington DC 20560, USA
| | - Jakob Sedig
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kendra Sirak
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Iñigo Olalde
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- BIOMICs Research Group, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
- Ikerbasque—Basque Foundation of Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Nicole Adamski
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Rebecca Bernardos
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Nasreen Broomandkhoshbacht
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Matthew Ferry
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Lijun Qiu
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Kristin Stewardson
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - J. Noah Workman
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Fatma Zalzala
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Shop Mallick
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Adam Micco
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Matthew Mah
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Zhao Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Nadin Rohland
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | | | - Douglas W. Owsley
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution; Washington DC 20560, USA
| | - David Reich
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University; Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School; Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard; Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Fleskes RE, Owsley DW, Bruwelheide KS, Barca KG, Griffith DR, Cabana GS, Schurr TG. Historical genomes elucidate European settlement and the African diaspora in Delaware. Curr Biol 2023; 33:2350-2358.e7. [PMID: 37207647 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.04.069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The 17th-century colonization of North America brought thousands of Europeans to Indigenous lands in the Delaware region, which comprises the eastern boundary of the Chesapeake Bay in what is now the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States.1 The demographic features of these initial colonial migrations are not uniformly characterized, with Europeans and European-Americans migrating to the Delaware area from other countries and neighboring colonies as single persons or in family units of free persons, indentured servants, or tenant farmers.2 European colonizers also instituted a system of racialized slavery through which they forcibly transported thousands of Africans to the Chesapeake region. Historical information about African-descended individuals in the Delaware region is limited, with a population estimate of less than 500 persons by 1700 CE.3,4 To shed light on the population histories of this period, we analyzed low-coverage genomes of 11 individuals from the Avery's Rest archaeological site (circa 1675-1725 CE), located in Delaware. Previous osteological and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence analyses showed a southern group of eight individuals of European maternal descent, buried 15-20 feet from a northern group of three individuals of African maternal descent.5 Autosomal results further illuminate genomic similarities to Northwestern European reference populations or West and West-Central African reference populations, respectively. We also identify three generations of maternal kin of European ancestry and a paternal parent-offspring relationship between an adult and child of African ancestry. These findings expand our understanding of the origins and familial relationships in late 17th and early 18th century North America.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel E Fleskes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA; Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Douglas W Owsley
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA.
| | - Karin S Bruwelheide
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - Kathryn G Barca
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | | | - Graciela S Cabana
- Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA; Molecular Anthropology Laboratories, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Theodore G Schurr
- Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Fleskes RE, Ofunniyin AA, Gilmore JK, Poplin E, Abel SM, Bueschgen WD, Juarez C, Butler N, Mishoe G, Oubré L, Cabana GS, Schurr TG. Ancestry, health, and lived experiences of enslaved Africans in 18th century Charleston: An osteobiographical analysis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 175:3-24. [PMID: 33022107 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In 2013, the burials of 36 individuals of putative African ancestry were discovered during renovation of the Gaillard Center in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. The Charleston community facilitated a bioarchaeological and mitogenomic study to gain insights into the lives of these unknown persons, referred to as the Anson Street Ancestors, including their ancestry, health, and lived experiences in the 18th century. METHODS Metric and morphological assessments of skeletal and dental characteristics were recorded, and enamel and cortical bone strontium stable isotope values generated. Whole mitochondrial genomes were sequenced and analyzed. RESULTS Osteological analysis identified adults, both females and males, and subadults at the site, and estimated African ancestry for most individuals. Skeletal trauma and pathology were infrequent, but many individuals exhibited dental decay and abscesses. Strontium isotope data suggested these individuals mostly originated in Charleston or sub-Saharan Africa, with many being long-term residents of Charleston. Nearly all had mitochondrial lineages belonging to African haplogroups (L0-L3, H1cb1a), with two individuals sharing the same L3e2a haplotype, while one had a Native American A2 mtDNA. DISCUSSION This study generated detailed osteobiographies of the Anson Street Ancestors, who were likely of enslaved status. Our results indicate that the Ancestors have diverse maternal African ancestries and are largely unrelated, with most being born locally. These details reveal the demographic impact of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Our analysis further illuminates the lived experiences of individuals buried at Anson Street, and expands our understanding of 18th century African history in Charleston.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Raquel E Fleskes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ade A Ofunniyin
- The Gullah Society, Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA.,Department of Sociology and Anthropology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Joanna K Gilmore
- The Gullah Society, Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA.,Department of Sociology and Anthropology, The College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Eric Poplin
- Brockington and Associates, Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA
| | - Suzanne M Abel
- Charleston County Coroner's Office, North Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Wolf D Bueschgen
- Charleston County Coroner's Office, North Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Chelsey Juarez
- Department of Anthropology, California State University, Fresno, California, USA
| | - Nic Butler
- Charleston County Public Library, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
| | - Grant Mishoe
- The Gullah Society, Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA
| | - La'Sheia Oubré
- The Gullah Society, Inc., Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, USA
| | - Graciela S Cabana
- Department of Anthropology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Theodore G Schurr
- Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hoke MK, Schell LM. Doing biocultural anthropology: Continuity and change. Am J Hum Biol 2020; 32:e23471. [PMID: 32681558 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.23471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Biocultural anthropology has long represented an important approach in the study of human biology. However, despite demonstrated utility, its somewhat amorphous identity leaves some scholars questioning just what it means to be biocultural. In this article, rather than providing proscriptive doctrine, we contribute to these conversations about the nature of biocultural anthropology by considering what biocultural research does. We begin with a consideration of some of the foundational themes of biocultural work including recognition of the dialectical nature of sociocultural and biological forces, interest in inequality, and incorporation of both evolutionary and political economic perspectives. To emphasize the consistency of biocultural work over time, we also trace these themes from originating work to their appearance in current research. We then identify some of the key actions of the biocultural approach, noting that biocultural work can execute any number though rarely all of these actions simultaneously. We then offer brief introductions to the articles that make up this special issue, highlighting the ways in which each piece undertakes key biocultural actions. Following these introductions, we provide a discussion of some of the types of biocultural work that are not present in this special issue, recognizing the breadth of biocultural research across multiple subfields of anthropology. Finally, we point to some potentially fruitful directions for future biocultural research. In the end, we conclude that while biocultural anthropology may not have a cohesive or set agenda, it does have a clear and recognizable form of content and methodology illuminated by its actions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Morgan K Hoke
- Department of Anthropology & Population Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Lawrence M Schell
- Department of Anthropology, Department of Epidemiology and Statistics, & the Center for the Elimination of Minority Health Disparities, University at Albany, Albany, New York, USA
| |
Collapse
|