Sign-In
Cart
Akebulan: The Africa I Was Never Taught
Paperback
Biographies GeneralAfrican HistoryGenealogy & Heraldry
Publisher Price: $13.99
Publisher: Answer
Published: Sep 15 2026
Pages: 122
Weight: 0.38
Height: 0.29 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
A name found in a census, a DNA test taken by two daughters, and a continent hidden in plain
sight spark Brian Butler's journey from Maryland's Eastern Shore to the kingdoms of West and
Central Africa. What begins as a search for his great-great-grandfather becomes a journey back to
the beginning of humanity itself.
For most of his life, Butler believed his family's story ended with his grandfather. But the
discovery of the name Theodore Lockerman opened a door he never knew existed. His search
carried him from Maryland's Eastern Shore to the kingdoms of West and Central Africa, from
the silence of slavery to the brilliance of civilizations he had never been taught about.
Guided by DNA results and historical research, Butler traces his ancestry to Nigeria, Ghana,
Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegambia, Guinea, Congo, and Angola - the very regions that fueled
the Chesapeake slave trade. He also confronts the complex truth of his European lineage with
honesty and grace, acknowledging painful realities without anger or blame.
Blending genealogy, African history, and personal reflection, Akebulan restores stories
interrupted by colonization, the transatlantic slave trade, and the 1884-1885 Berlin Conference.
It invites readers to rediscover the civilizations of Kush, Nubia, Meroë, Aksum, Mali, Songhai,
Benin, Kongo, and other cultures whose brilliance shaped the world long before their histories
were erased.
This book is for families, educators, and anyone beginning their search for origins. It is a
reminder that no matter where our DNA leads us, we all trace back to the same beginning:
Africa, the cradle of humanity.
A story of loss, discovery, and return, Akebulan invites readers to reclaim their history, honor
their ancestors, and rediscover the wonder of knowing where they come from.
Also from
Butler, Brian
Limitless Future: n Action Guide to Nurturing Your Child's Unique Strengths, Passions, and Talents
Butler, Brian
Paperback
Also in
Genealogy & Heraldry
History by a Hair: Thomas Jefferson, Sally Hemings & Solving a 200-Year-Old Mystery
Kurin, Richard
Hardcover
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes
Rutherford, Adam
Paperback
Fathers Day Gifts: Dad, Tell Me Your Story: A Father's Guided Journal and Memory Keepsake Book
Press, Victor
For Dad, Gifts
Hardcover
Our Family Tree Index: A 12 Generation Genealogy Notebook for 4,095 ancestors
Anonymous, House Elves
Hardcover
Searching for Sisters: A Guide to Researching Catholic Nuns in the United States
Morton, Sunny Jane
Paperback
Family History Record Book: An 8-generation family tree workbook to record your research
Hunter, Heritage
Paperback
Family Tree Workbook: 30+ Step-By-Step Worksheets to Build Your Family History
Sheffey, Brian
Paperback
The World Encyclopedia of Flags: An Illustrated Guide to International Flags, Banners, Standards and Ensigns
Znamierowski, Alfred
Hardcover
The Book of Myself: A Do-It-Yourself Autobiography in 201 Questions
Marshall, Carl
Marshall, David
Hardcover
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes
Rutherford, Adam
Paperback
William Of Malmesbury'S Chronicle Of The Kings Of England. From The Earliest Period To The Reign Of King Stephen
A. Giles, J.
Paperback
Scots and Scotch Irish: Frontier Life in North Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky
Hoefling, Larry J.
Paperback
Genealogy in Reverse: Finding the Living. A Practical Guide for All Genealogists
Passey, Cheri Hudson
Paperback
Ancestral Grimoire: Connect with the Wisdom of the Ancestors Through Tarot, Oracles, and Magic
Hendrickson, Nancy
Paperback
The Family Tree Scandinavian Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Ancestors in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway
Fryxell, David A.
Paperback
World Football Club Crests: The Design, Meaning and Symbolism of World Football's Most Famous Club Badges
Nilsson, Leonard Jägerskiöld
Hardcover
Families Directly Descended from All the Royal Families in Europe (495 to 1932) & Mayflower Descendants. Bound with Supplement
Rixford, Elizabeth M.
Paperback
Finding Your Family Tree: A Beginner's Guide to Researching Your Genealogy
Morgan, Sharon Leslie
Hardcover
NPE* A story guide for unexpected DNA discoveries: (*a non-paternity event - when 'Dad' is not your biological father)
Hay, Leeanne R.
Paperback
Chavez: A Distinctive American Clan of New Mexico, Facsimile of 1989 Edition
Chavez, Fray Angelico
Paperback
Essential Skills for the Occasional Genealogist: Beyond-beginner Genealogy Skills for Busy Family Historians
Dondero, Jennifer Patterson
Paperback
Becoming American: Portland, Maine's Irish and the Making of Immigrant America 1840 - 1861
Barker, Matthew Jude
Paperback
Directory of Scots Banished to the American Plantations, 1650-1775. Second Edition (Revised)
Dobson, David
Paperback
The Adobe Kingdom: New Mexico 1598-1958 as experienced by the families Lucero de Godoy y Baca
Lucero, Donald L.
Paperback
Ancestry and Descendants of the Nassau-Siegen Immigrants to Virginia, 1714-1750: Special Edition
Holtzclaw, Benjamin C.
Paperback
2025 Register of Qualified Huguenot Ancestors: The Huguenot Researcher's Authoritative Sourcebook of Proofs
Totten, Katherine Pace
Brennan, Nancy Wright
Lorenz, Janice Murphy
Paperback
In Search of Our Roots: How 19 Extraordinary African Americans Reclaimed Their Past
Gates, Henry Louis
Paperback
Practical Genealogy: 50 Simple Steps to Research Your Diverse Family History
Sheffey, Brian
Paperback
Fathers Day Gifts: Grandpa, Tell Me Your Story: A GrandFather's Guided Journal and Memory Keepsake Book
Press, Victor
Hardcover
Our Family Tree Notebook: A hardcover genealogy notebook with lined pages
Anonymous, House Elves
Hardcover
The Untold Story of Luby's Cafeterias: Including Joesph Owen Luby Sr.'s Original Cookbook
Luby, Lawrence P.
Paperback
The Family Tree Toolkit: A Comprehensive Guide to Uncovering Your Ancestry and Researching Genealogy
Berry, Kenyatta D.
Paperback
A genealogical dictionary of the first settlers of New England, Volume 1: Surnames A-C
Savage, James
Paperback
History of the Cherokee Indians and Their Legends and Folk Lore. With a New Added Index
Starr, Emmet
Hardcover
Stolen Heritage: A Mexican-American's Rediscovery of His Family's Lost Land Grant
Rubio, Abel G.
Paperback
Unofficial Ancestry.com Workbook: A How-To Manual for Tracing Your Family Tree on the #1 Genealogy Website
Hendrickson, Nancy
Paperback
Genealogy of the Warren Family From Richard, Who Came in the Mayflower, in 1620, to 1872
Anonymous
Paperback
Unpuzzling Your Past. the Best-Selling Basic Guide to Genealogy. Fourth Edition. Expanded, Updated and Revised (New Exp Updtd & REV)
Croom, Emily Anne
Paperback
The Family Tree Scottish Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Ancestors in Scotland
Epperson, Amanda
Paperback
Warrior-Pioneers II: Extracts from the Boone Papers, Volumes 14C-15C of the Draper Manuscripts
Crabb, Anne
Paperback
Seven Generations of the Descendants of Aquila and Thomas Chase
Chase, John Carroll
Chamberlain, George Walter
Paperback
A Creek, a Mill, and a Military Family: The Sherrards of Berkeley County, West Virginia (Virginia) 1785-1939
Miller, Stauffer
Hardcover
"Nuestros Antepasados" (Our Ancestors): Los Nuevo Mexicanos del Condado de Lincoln (Lincoln County's History of its New Mexican Settlers)
Sanchez, Ernest S.
Sanchez, Paul R.
Paperback
Building a Legacy: A Guide to Combining Ancestry.com and Family Tree Maker
Shamblin, Rebecca
Paperback
Tracing Your Cherokee Roots: Updated Edition: A Guide to Discovering Your Cherokee Ancestor
Reece, Joseph Robert
Paperback
History Of The Huston Families And Their Descendants, 1450-1912: With A Genealogical Record
Huston, E. Rankin
Paperback
Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia, 1607-1624/5. Fourth Edition. Volume One, Families A-F, Part A
Dorman, John Frederick
Paperback
Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia, 1607-1624/5. Fourth Edition. Volume One, Families A-F, Part B
Dorman, John Frederick
Paperback
Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution: Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, 1775-1783
Gwathmey, John H.
Paperback
Fitz Randolph: Traditions, a Genealogy and Family History of a Thousand Years
Randolph, L. V. F.
Paperback
The Family Tree Problem Solver: Tried-And-True Tactics for Tracing Elusive Ancestors
Rising, Marsha Hoffman
Paperback
Irish Genealogy Without Certainty: When Records Are Missing, Method Matters
Woodward, Laura S.
Paperback
The Social Life of DNA: Race, Reparations, and Reconciliation After the Genome
Nelson, Alondra
Paperback
History of Berks County, Pennsylvania in the Revolution from 1774 to 1783
Montgomery, Morton L.
Paperback
A genealogical dictionary of the first settlers of New England, Volume 3: Surnames K-R
Savage, James
Paperback
The Illustrated Book of Heraldry: An International History of Heraldry and Its Contemporary Uses
Slater, Stephen
Hardcover
Black Indian Genealogy Research: African-American Ancestors Among the Five Civilized Tribes, An Expanded Edition
Walton-Raji, Angela Y.
Paperback
From Sicily to America: A History of Sicilian Immigration to America, from the Villages to Ellis Island and Beyond
Licata, Salvatore J.
Paperback
A genealogical dictionary of the first settlers of New England, Volume 4: Surnames S-Z
Savage, James
Paperback
Storytelling for Genealogists: Turning Family Lineage into Family History
Tattershall, Doug
Paperback
Changing the Ending: How Writing Your Life Story Transforms Your Life
Lauritzen, Rhonda
Trotter, Rachel J.
Paperback
Irish Names - The Origins, Meanings, and Legacy of Ireland's Traditional Names
O'Corrain, Donncha
Maguire, Fidelma
Paperback
Old New Kent County [Virginia]: Some Account of the Planters, Plantations, and Places Volume II
Harris, Malcolm H.
Hardcover
The Registers of North Farnham Parish, 1663-1814 and Lunenburg Parish, 1783-1800, Richmond County, Virginia
King, George H. S.
Paperback
The Family Tree Polish, Czech And Slovak Genealogy Guide: How to Trace Your Family Tree in Eastern Europe
Alzo, Lisa A.
Paperback
Christopher Gist of Maryland and Some of His Descendants, 1679-1957 / by Jean Muir Dorsey and Maxwell Jay Dorsey.
Dorsey, Jean Muir 1890-
Paperback
John Cary The Plymouth Pilgrim: Biography and Genealogy of a New England Pioneer
Carey, Seth C.
Paperback
A genealogical dictionary of the first settlers of New England, Volume 2: Surnames D-J
Savage, James
Paperback
Rhinelanders on the Yadkin. The Story of the Pennsylvania Germans in Rowan and Cabarrus Counties, North Carolina
Hammer, Carl
Paperback
Pedigrees of Some of the Emperor Charlemagne's Descendants. Volume I
Von Redlich, Marcellus Donald Alexander
Paperback
Further Genealogical Notes on the Tyrrell-Terrell Family: of Virginia and Its English and Norman-French Progenitors
Terrell, Edwin Holland
Paperback
The Boone Family; a Genealogical History of the Descendants of George and Mary Boone who Came to America in 1717; Containing Many Unpublished Bits of
Spraker, Ella Atterbury
Crump, Jesse Procter
Hardcover
Families Directly Descended from All the Royal Families in Europe (495 to 1932) & Mayflower Descendants
Rixford, Elizabeth M.
Paperback
The Code of Honor, Or, Rules for the Government of Principals and Seconds in Duelling
Wilson, John Lyde
Paperback
Researching Scots-Irish Ancestors: The Essential Genealogical Guide to Early Modern Ulster, 1600-1800
Roulston, William
Paperback
Kegley's Virginia Frontier: The Beginning of the Southwest, the Roanoke of Colonial Days, 1740-1783, with Maps and Illustrations
Kegley, Frederick Bittle
Paperback
Jamestowne Ancestors, 1607-1699. Commemoration of the 400th Anniversary of the Landing at James Towne, 1607-2007
Davis, Virginia Lee Hutcheson
Paperback
Revolutionary War Patriot Discharges: A Companion to The Book of Merit: a coMPANION TO tHE bOOK OF mERIT
Virgil, Kenneth Wayne
Paperback
The Jew a Negro: Being a Study of the Jewish Ancestry from an Impartial Standpoint
Abernethy, Arthur Talmage
Paperback