By Jim Morrill
jmorrill@charlotteobserver.com

For years, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx could trace his ancestors no further than a mid-19th century slave auction in Moore County.

Until Thursday night.

That's when he learned that a DNA test reveals he's descended from the Fulani people of northern Nigeria, a tribe of nomads, herdsmen and warriors almost 6,000 miles away.

"It's pretty powerful," Foxx said after a presentation of the findings at the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts & Culture. "It opens a new understanding that I didn't have before."

The disclosure came courtesy of African Ancestry, a company that specializes in genetic genealogy of black Americans.

The company helped Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates trace the African roots of celebrities such as TV host Oprah Winfrey, comedian Chris Rock, poet Maya Angelou, singer Tina Turner and actor Morgan Freeman. Each was featured in Gates' "African American Lives" specials on PBS.

African Ancestry traced Foxx's roots as part of its "We Are Africa" road tour, designed to promote its DNA-based genealogy.

Read more at Charlotteobserver.com.

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