In a private ceremony on Jan. 9 in Conakry, Jonathan Majors and Meagan Good officially became citizens of Guinea, West Africa. 

The Associated Press reported they “received Guinean citizenship after tracing their ancestry to the West African country through DNA testing.” Djiba Diakité, head of Guinea’s presidential cabinet, called them “among the worthy sons and daughters of this Guinea,” saying they “represent our country… the red-yellow-green flag all over the world.”

In local celebrations with music and dance, officials hailed the couple as global cultural ambassadors of Guinea. Good said, “This recognition goes beyond titles, it is a homecoming and a reconnection to our Afrodescendant roots,” signaling their intent to build lasting ties (including plans to spend extended time in Guinea).

As Africa.com noted, their story fits a growing movement of African Americans reconnecting with ancestral homelands. Last year, pop star Ciara became a citizen of Benin after tracing her lineage. Likewise, Ghana’s “Year of Return” in 2019 invited descendants of slaves to “come home,” and over 500 African Americans obtained Ghanaian citizenship in 2023. Rapper and actor Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges holds Gabonese citizenship through family connections and promotes the country his wife, Eudoxie Bridges, is from. Comedian Tiffany Haddish became an Eritrean citizen in 2019, and the world traveler produces content celebrating East African culture. 

For the Hollywood couple—both high-profile and controversial—their new status as Guinean citizens carries cultural significance. It makes them Global Cultural Ambassadors of Branding Guinea and highlights Africa as part of their identity. 

African nations see this celebrity citizenship as diplomacy. It showcases Guinea on the world stage and strengthens ties with the diaspora. As Majors and Good walk into this new global chapter, they show that African Americans can bridge continents, symbolizing pride and possibilities for others tracing their ancestral roots.