This fall, America could elect its first black president, but according to some, the country has already had a black commander-in-chief.
Over time, rumormongers and amateur historians have claimed that Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jefferson, Warren Harding, Dwight Eisenhower, Calvin Coolidge, and Abraham Lincoln had black lineage.
We take a look at why these claims exist and consider what this issue tells us about America's racial attitudes, culture, and history.
For more, Farai Chideya speaks with Beverly Gage, assistant professor of history at Yale University; and Edward Ball, author of several books, including Slaves in the Family and The Genetic Strand: Exploring A Family History Through DNA.
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From Farai: America's FIRST First Black PresidentncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7zRZ6arn19nfXGEjmltaGpkZIZyhJNubmxqX52utHnAppyroZOWeqK40Z6YnbFdna6lecBmmaWZk6B6sb7ErKCdnZ6p