Melungeons: Difference between revisions

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While this study has been widely publicized as though it completely settles the question of Melungeon origins generally, it does not. Various surnames traditionally associated with Melungeon identity were not included in the study. In addition, it leaves untouched some of the families who in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were typically classed as whites, but who claimed Native American ancestry, such as the Sizemore claimants among the Eastern Cherokee applicants.   

Here is another reason to doubt this DNA study. A highly touted feature of a Melungeon and descendant is light colored eyes (generally blue) and darker skin.  Blue eyes are a recessive gene.  Quoting ScienceDaily, https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061023193617.htm "...The laws of genetics state that eye color is inherited as follows: If both parents have blue eyes, the children will have blue eyes. The brown eye form of the eye color gene (or allele) is dominant, whereas the blue eye allele is recessive. If both parents have brown eyes yet carry the allele for blue eyes,  a quarter of the children will have blue eyes, and three quarters will have brown eyes." To take this a step further, the world population shows that brown eyes are predominant in 55% of people, while blue eyes account for only 8% of the population.  Blue eyes are most predominant in northern countries, led by Finland, while brown eyes are predominantly in equatorial regions such as Asia and Africa.  Therefore, it would require that two parents carry the blue eye gene for a child to have blue eyes. Blue eyes are in Africans, but it is rare.  An assumption that all Melungeons are descended predominantly from African males is wrong.  Most likely, Melungeons are descended from a mix of both European, Hispanic, Native American, Asian and Africans.  This is the only way to account for incidence of blue eyes and in some cases, red hair, which is not uncommon in Melungeons.   

Melungeon identity is assumed to involve a mixture of some combination of Western European, Native American, and sometimes African ancestry, with early assertions of "Portuguese" or "Portuguese Indian" background being widely claimed. The term "tri-racial isolate" has been academically applied to this group, but this term is problematic in that not all Melungeons claim a tri-racial identity and, in many cases, these families appear to be anything but "isolates."  

In addition, alternate names exist for Melungeons, one of the most prominent being Guineas, another being Black Dutch. Sometimes the "Black" designation will appear in front of a Melungeon surname, not necessarily to indicate sub-Saharan African ancestry, but merely to designate a tendency toward somewhat dark skin.<br>  

The '''majority of records of individuals were those created by the agencies'''. Some records may be available to tribal members through the tribal headquarters.They were (and are) the local office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and were charged with maintaining records of the activities of those under their responsibility. Among these records are:<br>  

*[[American Indian Vital Records Supplements in Census Rolls|Vital records]]

*[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIQxA_4oCnY&feature=fvst Melungeon Cemetery: Carmel, Highland County, Ohio] (YouTube video; pertains to Melungeon families who migrated to Ohio)

Probably the best-known book concerned with this subject is N. Brent Kennedy, ''The Melungeons: The Resurrection of a Proud People: An Untold Story of Ethnic Cleansing in America''(Mercer University Press, 1997) ([http://books.google.com/books?id=Jqhd3tVSJNkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=melungeon&hl=en&ei=xVaTTaiUJ5G6tgf5-vQ9&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=melungeon&f=false Google Books link]).  

Among the materials listed below, note that some of the period sources, such as those by Dromgoole, are derogatory in nature.  

*Alther, Lisa, ''Kinfolks - Falling off the Family Tree: The Search for My Melungeon Ancestors'', New York: Arcade Publishing, 2007. ([http://books.google.com/books?id=7eTY08s1bkgC&pg=PA173&dq=melungeon&hl=en&ei=RlyTTZ3ZF8e4twfU6MBa&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCcQ6AEwADgo#v=onepage&q&f=false Google Books link]) ([http://www.lisaalther.com/kinfolks.html Lisa Alther Official Home Page], with photos from the book) ([http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/13/books/review/Dieckmann-t.html New York Times book review])  

*Winkler, Wayne, ''Walking Toward the Sunset: The Melungeons of Appalachia'', Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press, 2004, 2005. ([http://books.google.com/books?id=bPV05xDZe70C&pg=PA3&dq=melungeon&hl=en&ei=TVmTTdeiNpTAtge118miBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDAQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=melungeon&f=false Google Books link])

*[http://newman.baruch.cuny.edu/digital/native/default.htm African Native Americans: We Are Still Here]  

*[http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~mtnties/mlgn.html Who Were the Melungeons?]

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