Beacon Press books
are published under the auspices of
the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations.

© 2016 by Alondra Nelson
All rights reserved

Text design by Wilsted & Taylor Publishing Services

Some names and other identifying characteristics of people mentioned in this work have been changed to protect their identities.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Nelson, Alondra, author.

The social life of DNA : race, reparations, and reconciliation after the genome / Alondra Nelson.

   pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-0-8070-3301-2 (hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8070-3302-9 (ebook) 1. African Americans—Race identity. 2. African Americans—History. 3. Genetics—Social aspects—United States. 4. Genealogy—Social aspects—United States. 5. Genomics—Social aspects—United States. I. Title.

E185.625.N45 2016

305.896’073—dc23

2015025304