Pearl Duncan
Author,Biologists, Biology Books , Black Heritage , Cross-Cultural Understanding Diversity Internet & Technology Industries
Pearl Duncan is the first person in the world to use DNA to trace her ancestors’ journey from one continent to two others.
Categories :
Full Bio
Pearl Duncan is the first person in the world to use DNA to trace her ancestors’ journey from one continent to two others. By taking a DNA test in 1999 and using the family nicknames that survived in her African American family, she traced her ancestors to a family named Opare, of the Akan people of Ghana, West Africa. She then traced the Opares to specific farmers in African villages in the 1660s and, using genealogy, traced them to Colonial Jamaica in the 1960’s and Scotland in the 1720’s. Duncan discovered she has a male Scottish ancestor and a numerous African ancestors, whose modern-day African descendants she has met and compared DNA with.
Duncan will detail her remarkable story in an upcoming nonfiction book about using DNA and genealogy to trace ancestors. In this book, she highlights the “little people” who find nobles and slaves in their family trees. Given her ten years of research, the Ghanaians recognized her and the Scots granted her a medieval coat authorized by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.
An author and adventure sports travel writer, Duncan has written articles about Trans-Atlantic yacht races, travel, and other sports adventures as well as a book of short stories, Water Dancing, which received strong national reviews. She also contributed to A Rock Against the Wind: African American Poems and Letters of Love and Passion. Most recently, she has written about Wall Street and its history, as well as the Occupy Movement. Her articles have appeared in Sailing, Sail, Yacht/Racing, Cruising, Billboard, Record World, Essence, Black Enterprise, The Village Voice, The New York Soho Weekly News, Class, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Hartford Courant, Black World Today Online Magazine, and BET.com. Her search for her ancestors has been featured in The New York Times, The Palm Beach Post, and The Minneapolis Star-Tribune and on CBS-TV, BET-TV, and dozens of newspapers in Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, England, Sweden, and Brazil.
Duncan taught literature at Rutgers University-Newark, the College of New Rochelle, The College for Human Services, and Jersey City State College and was educated at Bryn Mawr College where she studied Humanities and Social Sciences.
Testimonials
Ernie was perfect for our Elders Conference at Little River Casino Resort in Manistee, Michigan. We will definitely be using PDA again!
LITTLE RIVER BAND OF OTTAWA INDIANS
Our speaker was great and the crowd enjoyed her! She was very engaging. Thank you again PDA for the great list of suggestions!
MEDTRONIC
Everything went great! and our speaker was wonderful! Thank you so much for all your help PDA! Looking forward to the next one.
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – KANSAS CITY
I hope that this message finds you well. We had a phenomenal time with Atsuko this past Thursday. We wanted to just let you know how amazing she was. All those that were in attendance thoroughly enjoyed her and had nothing but amazing things to say about her. Thank you for working with us to make sure this happened!
BAYLOR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
We had a fantastic day with Inge! She was very engaging with all those that attended. Her personal stories about the holocaust were very special and we were moved that she was willing to share them with everyone. Thank you again, PDA for all your hard work and dedication to make this program such a success!
SALT LAKE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Dear PDA Group, Thank you so much for your hard work in scheduling our speaker! From the moment we reached out to you the first time, you worked with us on all details and logistics and kept us up-to-date on the progress. Thank you for all your hard work on making our event such a success! We couldn't have done it without you and your team!
SAP COMPANY
Thank you again, Dr. Kimbrough, for a great presentation, our attendees are still talking about it!
CAMPUS LABS
Dr. Henry Lee's presentation was entertaining, insightful and wise. I, and everyone at Pfizer, especially appreciate the remarks you directed about following your passion and preparing yourself to excel. Thank you, everyone, at PDA for helping to make this happen!
PFIZER
The event was successful! I received many messages expressing how awesome, outstanding and inspiring Ms. Webb-Christburg's speech was."
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. MEMORIAL BREAKFAST, BOSTON, MLK SPEAKER
Everything went well. Atsuko was very easy to work with and the students enjoyed her performance! Thank you again for your recommendation and I hope to work with you again in the future!
CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Dr. Novello left this morning after a very successful event on our campus! Thank you PDA Group for your help from the first phone to the last you were with us every step of the way.
GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
Jordan Carlos was very very entertaining! A majority of students who answered the event survey indicated they really enjoyed Jordan and definitely will bring him back!
WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
On behalf of myself and my organization Entertainment Unlimited the Campus Programming Board of Ferris State University, we thank you PDA and Dan for a successful event!! Dan was magnificent! Students really enjoyed the presentation. I know I did. Can't wait to bring in more programs with PDA Group.
FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
It was a great pleasure to work with PDA Group! The communication was always prompt, friendly and helpful. We loved the speakers and events we booked through Mr. Peter Walker (PDA Group).
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
Thank you, Peter, for all your help, you'll be happy to know that the event went incredibly well! Aneesa Ferreira was by far one of the best speakers we've ever had!
FURMAN UNIVERSITY
Topics
An American Link to a Castle in Downton Abbey
The History of Wall Street & the Occupy Movement
The Future of Medical DNA
Videos
Pearl Duncan: WFCR Interview
80s Commercial | Pearl Bailey | Duncan Hines cookies | 1986
News
Testimonials
GET IDEAS
1 HOUR OR LESS
