GUEST POST: From Wigan to Atlanta – David Yeates’ ‘Brown Babies DNA Histories’ viral video surpasses 500,000 views
In April 2025, The Mixed Museum uploaded the first film in our ‘Brown Babies’ DNA Histories’ series: an interview with David Yeates, a member of our ‘brown babies’ group. David grew up in the north west of England “in a white town, in a white family” knowing he was different, but not knowing why. When he asked his parents, they didn’t want to discuss it. He learned to stop asking.
It was only in early adulthood that David discovered he was the son of Steve Belcher, a Black GI based at Burtonwood Air Base, where his mother worked, in the 1970s. This made him a member of the ‘brown babies’ – a term adopted by the children of Black American soldiers stationed in Britain during and after World War Two and white British women, and their descendants. In 2002, David travelled to Atlanta to meet his father for the first time, took a DNA test, and was welcomed into his extended African American family. He and his father were “very, very close” until Steve died in 2023.
Made as part of our Reclaiming History Through Science project, the interview with David, From Wigan to Atlanta, now has more than 510,000 views and almost 1,000 comments, with hundreds saying how much his words resonate with their own family histories and personal experiences. Here, David – who is writing a memoir about his life – reflects on the response.
An extraordinary response to my ‘brown babies’ story
By the middle of June 2025, my interview had been uploaded for two months and had already attracted 50,000 views. One evening, my close friend Jamie rang me to discuss the film’s rising numbers.
“Think about it David, that’s a LOT of people…. what’s the capacity of the Etihad stadium?” he asked me.
In case you don’t know it, the Eithad stadium is home to my team, Manchester City, and the seventh-largest football stadium in England.
“Around 55,000... Why?”
“Just visualise all those people you see at the match on a Saturday afternoon. That’s the amount of people who have watched your story…and reading the comments, they’re not skipping it, they are watching you talk right to the end, people seem genuinely interested.”
Me and Jamie have been friends since meeting at high school in Wigan, aged 11. Throughout our teenage years he’d spent endless hours at my family home, not once questioning why I was a different colour to Mum, Dad and other family members. My colour was of no importance to him. All that mattered was our love of records, bands and writing songs together.
When I decided to look for my biological dadin early adulthood, Jamie was one of the first people I confided in. During our conversation, he explained how he’d always assumed I was adopted, just like everybody else did.
“I feel honoured that my story has reached so many people”
Since the video went live in April, I’ve gone on every week and read each comment posted. I feel honoured that my story has reached so many people from every corner of the globe. Some thank me for sharing my experience, whilst others heap praise on my dad, Stan Yeates, for sticking by my side, loving me and raising me as his own son.
Others focus on my northern delivery and humour, highlighting my gags about people in Wigan relying on pigeons and about Limahl from Kajagoogoo being the town’s most famous export (even though George Formby is actually Wigan’s most famous celebrity!).
A huge amount of love continues to be directed at Tony, my brother-in-law, the driving force responsible for finding my American family and biological dad, Steve Belcher.
Watch David's viral video and read the 1000+ comments on The Mixed Museum's YouTube channel. The video is part of TMM's 'Brown Babies' DNA Histories series.
Some viewers have shared a snapshot of their own family dynamics, detailing how they have still never met their biological parents. Some express apprehension and a fear of potential rejection, feelings I totally understand.
Others have agreed with me, regarding the nature/nurture debate, briefly detailing how they too met their biological parent in later life and discovered they had similar interests and tastes.
Some comments suggest that pictures of me, Steve and my family would have been nice to see during the video. While the video series didn’t have the capacity for this, some – like the ones on this page – will be uploaded to The Mixed Museum’s ‘brown babies’ digital exhibition in the future, and possibly a follow-up YouTube video.
“I hope that my story can instil hope in others contemplating their own DNA journey”
I’ve also been excited to see people suggesting my story could be made into a movie or book. Having written my memoir, the comments fill me with positivity and hope that publishers and literary agents will be interested when I send it out.
I’ve been replying to as many comments as I can with a thank you, heart emoji and my name, as a way of acknowledgement.
But of all the comments uploaded to the video, the biggest surprise of all was reading a comment from my 15-year-old son, Horace, saying how proud he is of me for sharing my story online and suggesting that both my late dads would have been proud of me too.
Just when I thought I couldn’t love him any more than I do.
In January 2026, the day after my 55th birthday, the video reached half a million views. It felt truly amazing to see such an incredible amount of interest.
I continue to hope that my story can instil hope in others contemplating their own DNA journey.
I am living, breathing proof that life can get better.
Sunshine can eventually cut through the darkest of clouds.
All photos David Yeates. Reproduced with permission.
Learn more
Watch the interview with David Yeates, From Wigan to Atlanta
See all the interviews in the series on The Mixed Museum’s YouTube channel
Read more about the project, Reclaiming History Through Science
Support our ongoing ‘brown babies’ work with a donation at TMM’s Ko-fi account