Where did the Melungeon people come from?

Melungeons are descendants of people of mixed ethnic ancestry who, before the end of the eighteenth century, were discovered living in limited areas of what is now the southeastern United States, notably in the Appalachian Mountains near the point where Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina converge.

What race are the Melungeons?

Over the generations, most individuals of the group called Melungeon were persons of mixed European and African descent, sometimes also with Native American ancestry, whose ancestors had been free in colonial Virginia.

What does DNA tell us about Melungeons?

The DNA test shows the regional origin of the original ancestors of direct male or female lines, but not which culture their descendants may have identified with in succeeding years. Neither does it indicate how far back the admixture occurred.

How do you know if you are Melungeon?

Typical Melungeon physical traits are said to include dark hair and skin with light-colored eyes. Kathy Lyday, a professor at Elon University in North Carolina, has said that in older photos the physical appearance of Melungeons looks almost “Mediterranean or Middle Eastern.” A Spanish influence is also possible.

Where are the melungeons today?

The term “Melungeon” has generally been applied to a widely distributed group of people associated with the general region of Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Kentucky in the United States, but generally regarded as particularly concentrated in the general area of Eastern Tennessee, Southwest …

Are lumbees black?

Many powerful western tribes have “a perception that the Lumbee are really a mixed-race, mainly African group,” says Mark Miller, a history professor at Southern Utah University who has written extensively about tribal identity.

What does a Melungeon look like?

Physical characteristics of Melungeons dark hair and skin with light-colored eyes. stark contrasts in skin and hair color within a single family. American Indian features. a particular type of bump or ridge at the back of the head (usually just above the neck) known at the Melungeon bump.

What is the origin of the last name Black?

Black is a Scottish surname primarily. It probably started out as a nickname given to a swarthy or darker-skinned person. The Scottish Picts and Celts certainly had darker skins than the invading Anglo-Saxons who may have given them that nickname.

What is the Melungeon DNA Project?

The Melungeon DNA Project is a genetic study started in 2005 by the private company Family Tree DNA of people with identified Melungeon ancestors (according to historic records), mostly residing in Hancock County, Tennessee and nearby areas of Kentucky. The Melungeon people are a mixed-race group who married within the group up until about 1900.

What race are the Melungeon people?

The Lumbee tribe and Poarch Creek Indians are among the tribes related to the Melungeon people. Some Melungeon families are African-American, and identify as such. Some Melungeon families are Hispanic and some appear white and live their lives as white people.

Who is the father of the Melungeons?

Vardy Collins is considered the patriarch of the Melungeons. Author Roberta Estes states that the first mention of Melungeons was in an 1810 record, identifying them as “foreigners” or ” Portuguese “, rather than either Negro or Indian.

Where do Melungeons live in Tennessee?

Historically, Melungeons were associated with the Cumberland Gap area of central Appalachia, which includes portions of East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and eastern Kentucky. Tri-racial describes populations thought to be of mixed European, African and Native American ancestry.

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