Just meeting Andre Kearns can bring a smile. He exudes a positive radiance and a love for life. Andre says of himself that he is “a genealogist, public speaker, commentator, and writer with deep roots in the American South and a passion for discovering new ancestors and sharing their stories forward.” When asked what keeps him going, he said, “I’m just inspired with the opportunity, and I love sharing it forward—all our family stories are a part of the history we share.”
With ancestors from Charlotte, North Carolina, and Suffolk, Virginia, Andre has a family heritage like a lesson in early American history. He is very proud that his African American ancestors date back to 1619 in Virginia. From his research, he has learned that he descends from African Americans both enslaved and free and that his family has been in America a long time.
Andre appreciates his life, his blessings and particularly his African American heritage. This subject really gets him excited. He loves to do family history and genealogy research. It is hard not to feel his enthusiasm for the subject when talking with him. Andre also appeared on Relative Race (Season 6 Premiere) as one of the families the contestants visited.
A Diverse Heritage
Through his research, Andre has discovered that he descends from enslaved persons, slaveholders, and free people of color from Virginia and the Carolinas. Coerced relations between white men and enslaved women haven’t always been an acknowledged part of history, but Andre's DNA testing confirms his shared heritage. He does not hide from this history. In fact, he embraces it. His goal is to uncover his complete family history—the good, bad, and ugly—to preserve the opportunity for future generations to know it. Andre says this detail makes for interesting conversations when he connects with white family members.
For more information, watch Andre’s RootsTech Connect video “Helping African Americans Trace Slaveholding Ancestors Using DNA.”
As he has researched his family, Andre has come to understand more of what his ancestors, in their particular circumstances, have each been through. Sadly, too often the institution of slavery denied its victims their cultural identity. Enslaved persons lived at the whim of the slaveholder or plantation owner, experiencing the cruelty of involuntary bondage. Even after enslaved persons were emancipated, segregation was the norm. Whites and blacks often lived very different lives—even when they descended from the same common white landowner.
Andre does indeed have very deep Southern roots, and his ancestors came from very different situations. But he is one who finds inspiration in his ancestry and in the resilience of his ancestors . He is, himself, very well-educated. He graduated with a BA in business administration from the prestigious Morehouse College—an all-men’s historically black college in Atlanta, Georgia. He also has an MBA from Harvard Business School. (His grand parents all attended historically black colleges and universities, and his parents both earned master’s degrees.)
Andre’s Family History Journey
Like many others, Andre’s early interest in his own family heritage came from Alex Haley, his book Roots: The Saga of an American Family, and the television series based on that book. Reading and seeing the depictions of the characters in Haley’s story made him want to know more about his own ancestry.
With this interest piqued, he extensively researched his own family tree—tracing it back to the 1600s and the first Africans to arrive in Virginia. He mused, “I’ve always had a love of history. My parents instilled that love of history by making a lot of books available to me.”
Discovering his ancestry has unlocked unknown, rich aspects of American history for Andre, his family, and those around him. He definitely has colonial American roots. Andre speaks with awe and reverence for his maternal tenth-great-grandfather Emmanuel Cumbo, born to Africans who were brought to Colonial America around the time the Mayflower arrived.
Slavery and the 1870 Census
Reflecting on the history of American slavery and the freedom granted to all through the Emancipation Proclamation, Andre rejoices in the 1870 United States federal census, the first in which newly emancipated persons appear by name. He said that this census was epic for black people everywhere because, for the first time, formerly enslaved African Americans became “more than just a check mark.”
This 1870 census also showed the real family composition after the dust settled following the Civil War. Family groups (in whatever form) appeared as a true family unit, independent of the world around them and likely different from the family organization that might have existed prior to the war. The census showed who was in the family, where they lived, and more. Later census enumerations showed much greater detail, but the 1870 census was the start—one more reason to smile.
Sharing with Family and the Community
Andre does not keep his research and interest to himself. He is, in fact, a major influencer in family history and genealogy circles. He serves as a director for the National Genealogical Society and as chair of the NGS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee. He is a charter member of the Society of the First African Families in English America. He regularly blogs on race, culture, history and genealogy, and he shares his Cumbo family research at Cumbofamily.com.
For a sample of Andre’s work on his blog, we recommend reading "Celebrating Ann on Women’s History Month," an article about Andre’s mother, grandmother, and the other “Anns” in his family tree.
Andre is married and has two sons. They currently live in Washington, D.C. His wife is from Haiti. He admits that his own enthusiasm for the family heritage is kind of “over the top,” but he says that his wife “is respectful of my passion.” She supports him in his family heritage efforts and appreciates his work.
Andre makes a point to share new things he discovers with his family. He has placed several family heritage photos of his ancestors throughout his home. He feels that these photos have a subtle influence on his sons and others who see them.
One of his favorite photos is of James Augustus “Gus” Kerns, his great-great-grandfather and the source of his Kearns surname. Gus took the last name of Kerns because his mother was enslaved by the Kerns family. He also loves the photo of Exum White, a Virginia forefather who had a rather colorful and interesting history. You can read more about him here.
Inspiration from Ancestors
Reflecting proudly on his ancestry, Andre says, “My ancestors have enriched my life. Collectively, my ancestors inspire me. I love uncovering their stories—learning of their strengths, how they overcame challenges, and how they built lives for themselves. They built this country as much as anyone!” And that is a lot to smile about. No wonder Andre is so happy!
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