Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors are the latest black celebrities to gain African citizenship

Married Hollywood actors Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors have been granted Guinean citizenship, becoming part of a growing number of Black American public figures who are reconnecting with their African heritage. Good and Majors received citizenship after tracing their ancestral roots to the West African nation through DNA testing, reflecting a personal and cultural journey.

A private citizenship ceremony was held in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, where officials welcomed the couple as new citizens. Speakers at the event said the granting of citizenship symbolizes the deep historical ties between African countries and people of African descent in the diaspora. BBC News reported.

Countries such as Ghana and Benin have been encouraging people of African descent to do this for years explore and formalize their connections to the continent. Guinea’s recognition of the good and the great things follows similar steps by other governments seeking to strengthen cultural and historical ties.

This “reconnection” movement gained new momentum after Ghana launched its “Year of Return” initiative in 2019, inviting African Americans and the broader diaspora to visit, invest in, and celebrate the continent’s history. The campaign marked the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved Africans arriving in North America.

In 2025, several prominent black celebrities have done so looked for similar ties, highlighting a cultural shift towards a deeper engagement with African identity, citizenship and heritage. Music legend Stevie Wonder received Ghanaian citizenship in 2024 and continues to participate in cultural events there.

Rapper and actor Christopher “Ludacris” Bridge has Gabonese citizenship through family ties and promotes the country to an African-American audience. Eudoxie Bridges, Ludacris’ wife, was born in the country. In addition, singer and model Ciara became a Beninese citizen under a law granting nationality to descendants of enslaved Africans, and Ciara has publicly celebrated her new status.

Other public figures have also reconnected with African roots. Comedian Tiffany Haddish, who became an Eritrean citizen in 2019, has continued to produce content that celebrates East African culture. Haddish is of Eritrean descent. British actor Idris Elba, who holds Sierra Leonean citizenship, remains active in cultural initiatives on the continent. Elba has Sierra Leonean heritage through his father and Ghanaian heritage through his mother growing movement of Black creatives to embrace and formalize ancestral connections.

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