Melungeon Definition 2000
By a committee composed of Karlton Douglas (chair),
Mike Nassau, Dennis Maggard, Nancy Sparks Morrison,
Brent Kennedy, Curtis Christy, and Tim Hashaw
Melungeons are a people traditionally thought to be White Northern European, Black African, and Red American Indian. However emerging evidence suggests that they are not only White, Black, or Indian, but a mixture of two or more of those ethnic groups, as well as an amalgamation that very likely includes the following Sixteenth and Seventeenth century Mediterranean peoples: Spanish, Portuguese, Turks, Berbers, Moors, Sephardic Jews, and others. Also there is evidence for including Seventeenth and Eighteenth century Black people from the Atlantic Coast of Africa, especially the Malange area of Angola, who came to America as indentured servants and slaves. Some of them obtained freedom, or were free by birth, and became part of the Melungeon mix.
After years of mixing, Melungeons will have varying degrees of blending of the above mentioned groups. As such, each Melungeon family will have its own unique cultural and ethnic history. And consequently some Melungeon descendants will more closely identify with one group of ancestors than another. However, an increasing number are embracing their full heritage, of all their ancestors whatever the ethnic group, or social stigma, bringing a fuller meaning to what Melungeon means: "Mixed and proud of it!"
Melungeons are not a "race", were never a "race", but always a mixture of various ethnic groups who gathered together over time and place. Despite the admixture, common threads of economic status, and experience tied Melungeons together.
Melungeons formed communities that produced a people of color who were not always easy to classify. They had a tendency to intermarry within their communities, and were commonly suspicious of, and mistreated by the mainstream non-Melungeon population surrounding them. For that reason, and because of early European settlers moving into the Tidewater-coastal area and Piedmont of the southeast in continually greater numbers, the Melungeons tended to migrate west toward the mountains. They did this in an effort to avoid contact with outsiders, and to avoid being persecuted because of their ancestry.
Melungeons eventually spread over much of the Southeastern United States, and beyond. Those primarily considered to be Melungeons took refuge on the ridges of Northeastern Tennessee, Southwestern Virginia, Northwestern North Carolina, and Southeastern Kentucky. These are the Core areas of ancestry for today’s Melungeons. Appalachia plays a key role in Melungeons’ history and lore.
Some Multi-Ethnic groups were stable enough for a time to become an identifiable subgroup. In some locations other names have been used for Melungeons, such as Goinstown Indians in North Carolina, Ramps in Virginia, Carmel Indians in Ohio, Redbones in Louisiana and Texas, The Goins’ in lowland Tennessee. The Guineas of West Virginia are very similar and connected to the Melungeons. Not all of the following subgroups consider themselves to be specifically Melungeon. Some consider themselves to be in part, or mostly Indian. These subgroups include: The Brown People of Kentucky, Darke County, Ohio group. South Carolina Turks, Brass Ankles and Red Bones. North Carolina Person County Indians (Cubans), Haliwa-Saponi, and Portuguese. Lumbees from both North and South Carolina, Alabama Creoles, Maryland Wesorts (Piscatawny Indians). Nanticoke-Moors of Delaware, Monacans of Amherst County, Virginia, and others.
Because of oppressive racial laws Melungeon ancestors may be difficult to trace. These ancestors often tried to hide their ethnic heritage, or were pushed into areas where records were poorly kept. Still others fled Melungeon areas altogether, searching for a better life. When seeking Melungeon ancestors and attempting to define just who the Melungeons were, this difficulty should be considered.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR
1. An "Orphan" story to explain away the difficulty of finding ancestors.
2. A family tradition, or persistent story of Indian, African, Portuguese, other non-white, or non-northern European ancestry.
3. Features that show up on one or more sides of the family that appear to be
Indian, African, or Mediterranean/Middle Eastern, including slightly darker skin tones than what is considered the "norm" for a "white" person.
4. Genealogical searches that reveal an ancestor/ancestors in known Melungeon areas.
5. Surname, or names, that are commonly found to be Melungeon.
6. Inherited Illnesses, uncommon among northern Europeans, but found among Mediterranean area people: Familial Mediterranean Fever, Thallasemia, Machado-Joseph Disease, ETC.
7. Physical characteristics known to be common among Asians, Native Americans, people of Mediterranean descent and Melungeons: Epicanthic Eye Folds, Shovel Teeth, Hair Type-Texture, ETC.
Note:
The above information should not be considered exhaustive. This "general consensus document" has been put together to help people who are just beginning their search for Melungeon ancestors. This is a very basic statement, and subject to change as new evidence comes to light. There is a wide range of opinion regarding who Melungeons were/are and that is how it should be. This is simply our humble attempt at finding common ground of agreement, or at least tolerance and understanding. *For more complete information you should obtain books and articles about Melungeons, and become involved in researching your genealogy on the Rootsweb e-mail lists.
Contributors:
Karlton Douglas, Mike Nassau, Curtis Christy, Tim Hashaw, Dennis Maggard, Nancy Sparks Morrison, Brent Kennedy. Additionally comments and ideas were received from the Rootsweb e-mail lists.
Disclaimer:
Not all members who worked on this agree on every part of this statement, but only
as a general statement to begin the Melungeon search.
Permission of Use:
Authors grant permission to freely use and distribute this document, so long as Content is not changed, and all of the Contributor’s signatures are included. This does not apply to any use of this document in hate literature, racial discrimination, or for propaganda against Melungeons, all rights are reserved in those instances.
*Melungeon Printed Sources:
While there are many more pieces written on the Melungeons, the following
list will give the researcher the basic knowledge s/he needs in order to have
a good background concerning who and what the Melungeons are.
Kennedy, N. Brent, The Melungeons: The Resurrection of
a Proud People, Mercer University Press, GA 1994. To
order call (800) 342-0841, ext 2880. Price is $16.99.
Now in the second printing. A must read for all Melungeon descendants.
Ball, Bonnie, The Melungeons: (Notes on the Origin of a Race), The
Overmountain Press, Johnson City, TN, 1992
Bible, Jean Patterson, The Melungeons, Yesterday and Today, 1975,
printed by East Tennessee Printing Company, Rogersville, Tennessee.
Gallegos, Eloy J., The Spanish Pioneers in United States History The
Melungeons: The Pioneers of the Interior Southeastern United States,
1526-1997,Villagra Press, 2301 Clinch Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37916, printed
1997
Gallegos, Eloy J. The Spanish Pioneers in United States History, Santa Elena:
Spanish Settlements on the Atlantic Seaboard from Florida to Virginia 1513 to
1607, Villagra Press, 2301 Clinch Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37916, printed 1998
Gowen Research Foundation, 5708 Gary Ave., Lubbock, TX
79413, phone (806) 795-8758. Chief interest is family
of Gowen/Going/Goin, etc. which includes
Melungeon lines and a LOT of Melungeon information. Be sure to request Tim Hashaw’s articles on Melungeons. Membership is $12.50.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~gowenrf/msie.htm
Mira, Manuel, The Forgotten Portuguese: The Melungeons and Other Groups, The
Portuguese Making of America, The Portuguese-American Historical Research
Foundation, Inc. (P.A.H.R.F., Inc.) Franklin, NC 28734-USA;
e-mail: portugal@dnet.net; Web site: http://www.portuguesefoundation.org/default.htm
Selected Melungeon Websites:
Open Directory Melungeon Category
http://dmoz.org/Society/Ethnicity/The_Americas/Melungeon/
Melungeon Family Genealogy Forum
http://genforum.genealogy.com/melungeon/
Melungeon Page
http://members.aol.com/Strat43z/melung.html
Melungeon Health
http://www.melungeonhealth.org
Melungeon Heritage Page
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~mtnties/melungeon.html
Melungeon Mountain Ties
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~mtnties
What is a Melungeon?
http://www.whatisamelungeon.webs.com
Melungeon Heritage
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Inn/1024
Melungeons and other Mestee Groups
http://www.melungeonmestee.webs.com
Melungeon Central Message Index
http://genconnect.rootsweb.com/gc/Special/Melungeon
Melungeon History
http://www.ukans.edu/heritage/cousin/melungeon.html
Rootsweb
http://www.rootsweb.com
Free People of Color
http://www.freeafricanamericans.com