August 7, 2025
The state of Illinois is helping African Americans trace their roots in Africa.
Illinois has launched a statewide initiative aimed at helping African Americans reconnect their ancestral ties to Africa.
Launched on Aug. 4, the state-funded Illinois Family Roots Pilot Program offers free DNA testing and genomic analysis through The African Kinship Reunion (TAKiR) research project. Led by principal investigator LaKisha David at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and backed by a $500,000 bill sponsored by Rep. Carol Ammons of Urbana, the initiative aims to uncover and restore family ties broken by the legacy of slavery and human trafficking.
With a goal to give African Americans “the opportunity to trace their roots back to their ancestral homelands, to reconnect with their ancestral heritage,” the Illinois project plans to distribute a total of 1,600 DNA kits around the state.
“My vision for this program is that it strengthens the Black community and it increases our leadership, our vision, our pride, and our ability to reach our full potential and be fully repaired,” Robin Rue Simmons, chairwoman of the Evanston Reparations Committee and founder and executive director of FirstRepair, a nonprofit reparations support organization, told the Chicago Tribune. “This program gives us an assist in repairing ourselves, at least by giving us access to understanding our lineage. From there, we can explore, self-educate, embrace, and uplift our culture.”
The city of Evanston continues to lead in supporting the advancement of the Black community. In 2019, it became the first U.S. city to implement a reparations program for Black residents, addressing the lasting impact of housing discrimination. Building on that commitment, Evanston’s Reparations Committee has now partnered with the Family Roots initiative, becoming the first community to offer residents free DNA kits to explore their ancestry. The first 250 kits were distributed during the city’s Juneteenth celebration, with more handed out at the committee’s July meeting.
“I’m hoping to give people a more cohesive family narrative,” David said. “There’s something in knowing about yourself that triggers psychological well-being and contributes to your sense of self.”
The city of Evanston will distribute another round of DNA kits on Thursday, Aug. 7, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Evanston City Hall, 909 Davis Street. Locals are hopeful that the Family Roots pilot program will expand into a long-term program that all Illinois residents can partake in.
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