Rooted: How a Daughter of the South Traced Her Bloodline Back 44,000 Years and Calls Us to Remember Who We Really Are

NOTE: This edition contains a black and white photo section.

About this Edition

This is the Paperback Edition of Rooted. It includes the complete memoir in its entirety, with all photographs presented in black and white. This edition offers the same powerful story of faith, ancestry, and legacy in a format that is both affordable and accessible. Perfect for everyday reading, book clubs, and classrooms.

When a Southern woman's family DNA test uncovered an ancient and uncommon 44,000-year-old maternal legacy, it redefined everything she thought she knew-about identity, inheritance, and the women who came before her.

One test. 44,000 years. A lineage from East Africa to Eastover.

At a time when conversations about identity, ancestry, and generational healing are growing louder, Rooted steps in with both honesty and grace, honoring the truth of Black women's experiences. This isn't just a cultural memoir-it's a reclamation of stolen history, voices that were silenced, and a legacy that refuses to fade away.

Rooted follows Michell Pulliam's journey from the backroads of South Carolina to the highlands of East Africa-not by plane, but by blood. What began as a simple DNA test sparked a spiritual awakening, deepening her understanding of identity, inheritance, and the legacy of the women who came before her.

Traced through a rare mitochondrial haplogroup found in fewer than 1% of African Americans, the test uncovers a maternal line that stretches back 44,000 years to the Sandawe and Hadza (Hadzabe) peoples of East Africa-carrying some of humanity's oldest surviving genetic roots. But this isn't just a story about science or ancestry-it's about the women. The foremothers who survived, who birthed nations, who whispered their truth across generations. And the one descendant-Michell-who finally chose to tell their story and honor their memory.

With tenderness, grit, and a reverence for faith and family, Rooted blends memoir, cultural history, and spiritual reflection to honor the women who carried us all. Rooted speaks to every woman who's ever felt the call to come home-to herself, to her lineage, and to the God who never forgot her name. It's a book about reclaiming identity, making peace with the past, and remembering who you were-before the world told you who to be. Rooted stands as a powerful anthem for Black women, a testament to resilience, strength, and the enduring legacy of those who came before and those who will continue the legacy.

If you've ever wondered where you come from, why your soul feels older than your years, or what stories still live in your bones... this book is for you.

Rooted also includes companion resources that enrich the reading experience, guiding readers to engage, reflect, and discover more about the legacies that shape us all.

Rooted is available in paperback and hardcover editions, featuring photographs presented in black and white, as well as in eBook format.

Please note: The ebook edition does not include photographs that appear in the print version.