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.

How do you know if you are Melungeon?

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

Who are some famous Melungeons?

Anyone who has studied these people who were called ‘Melungeons’ might think that names like Vardy Collins, Shepard ‘Buck’ Gibson, Charles Gibson, Solomon Collins, Zachariah Minor, Micajer Bunch, or Mahala Mullins nee Collins would show up in such a search.

Who is considered Appalachian?

The Region’s 25 million residents live in parts of Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, and all of West Virginia.

How many melungeons are there?

Researchers believe some 75,000 people are proud of their Melungeon background. Another 250,000 know they’re Melungeon and don’t want to know anything more about it. Theoretically, millions could have a Melungeon ancestor and not know it. Family surnames are often a hint.

Where did the melungeons 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.

Are melungeons white?

A DNA study in the Journal of Genetic Genealogy in 2012 found that the families historically called Melungeons are the offspring of sub-Saharan African men and white women of northern or central European origin.

What country is black Dutch?

In those days “Dietsch” or “Duitsch” and “Deutsch” were the words for the Germanic languages spoken in what we now know as the Netherlands and Germany. Germans with swarthy or darker complexions were called “Black Dutch” (or Schwarze Deutsche or “black german”).

What type of people live in Appalachia?

America’s early pioneer era saw whites, blacks, and Indians all living close together in the Appalachian range. This gave rise in the early 19th century to a multiracial group known as the Melungeons, who had African, European, and Native American ancestry. But the African influence on Appalachia persists even today.

Why is Appalachia poor?

Appalachia is a region of the Eastern United States. Central Appalachians, for example, experience the most severe poverty, which is partially due to the area’s isolation from urban growth centers. The area’s rugged terrain and isolation from urban centers has also resulted in a distinct regional culture.

Are the Appalachian Mountains and the Smoky Mountains the same?

They are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, and form part of the Blue Ridge Physiographic Province. The range is sometimes called the Smoky Mountains and the name is commonly shortened to the Smokies. Along with the Biosphere reserve, the Great Smokies have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.