If you have read any of my columns, you should know by now that I am always trying to find various ways of highlighting common values and bonds. It is clear to me that the human family, regardless of ethnicity, culture, religion or whatever, has far more in common than those things we allow to separate us. There is no better way for me to illustrate this point than a recent report on the Rev. Al Sharpton's family tree.

The research about Sharpton's family was sponsored by the New York Daily News and conducted by a team of experts from Ancestry.com, led by one of the country's leading genealogists, Megan Smolenyak. The team discovered that Sharpton's ancestors were slaves owned by relatives of the late South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond. Needless to say, when Smolenyak read the results of the research to Sharpton, he was shocked.

Think about it: Here you have a powerful and vocal civil rights activist, who has dedicated his life to fighting for justice and equality for African-Americans, being told that he is related to one of the great proponents of American segregation. I think Al needed a moment, and it was reported that Thurmond's relatives needed one as well, when they heard the news that they were descendants of slave owners. (At least, that is what they said.)

So why is this worthy of discussion outside the Sharpton and Thurmond families, who now need to make some sense of this revelation? It is worthy of discussion because it raises questions about barriers, such as race, that we allow to divide the human family. If each family in this country were to conduct a similar research project, we all might be as shocked as the Sharptons and Thurmonds about who our ancestors were.

I have done research into both the maternal and paternal sides of my family, and found ancestors that were, of course, of African descent, English, Native American, Scottish and Spanish. Yet I call myself African-American. Is that a true representation of my genetic makeup, and the blood that runs through my veins? No, it is not. But America makes you choose a box. You have to declare yourself to be all of one thing: black, brown, red, white, yellow ... something.

My daughters often question the validity of racial labeling in this country. Their maternal grandmother is Japanese, and their paternal grandfather's family is mixed with folks of African descent, Native American and white European. Even though my daughters were proudly raised in the African-American experience, you have to ask: Is this an accurate representation of what they are?

In my opinion, there is one human family. In some way, we are all related and our lives intertwined. And we should see every person whom we encounter on our jobs, in the mall, at school or on the street as a possible family member. Think about it this way: Each day you walk down the street, you could unknowingly be walking by cousins, aunts or uncles and dismiss them because of their skin color, economic status, nationality or any other barrier that we use to compartmentalize or divide the human family. Is that any way to treat someone who could possibly be a member of your family?

I have said it before and it merits saying again: We must see beyond what divides and find that which unites.

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Rev. Jay Speights, with an MA in public policy, is an interfaith minister and the main United Nations representative for The New Seminary in New York. You can learn more about his work at the United Nations at The New Seminary website. His email address is {email jayspeights@newseminary.org}jayspeights@newseminary.org{/email}. You also can learn more about Rev. Speights' ministry at harmoniousday.webexone.com. © Copyright 2007 by Jay Speights