The Melungeons: The Resurrection of a Proud People: An Untold Story of Ethnic Cleansing in America

Melungeons

by N. Brent Kennedy, Robyn Vaughan Kennedy

As early as 1654, English and French explorers in the southern Appalachians reported seeing dark-skinned, brown- and blue-eyed, and European-featured people speaking broken Elizabethan English, living in cabins, tilling the land, smelting silver, practicing Christianity, and, most perplexing of all, claiming to be Portyghee. Declared free persons of color in the late 1700s by the English and Scottish-Irish immigrants, the Melungeons, as they were known, were driven off their lands and denied voting rights, education, and the right to judicial process. The law was enforced mercilessly and sometimes violently in the resoundingly successful effort to totally disenfranchise these earliest American settlers.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

180 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1994

Reviews

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a beautiful story of a lost people. It will make you question the very fabric that built this nation. We know Columbus was not the first in the new world, but who was? This book allows to take a deeper look at just that. An Appalachian people cast out by later arriving Europeans who buried their heritage. Over the years this heritage has been lost by Anglos hell bent on being the superior, the first ones in America. As we know the winners write the history books, but who's ready to start uncovering the real American Pioneers? They are Portuguese, Turkish, and Moors. They are the Spanish, the Africans. and the Natives. Iberians, Berbers, Scotch-Irish. Rediscover America, the Appalachian people, and a history muddled by racism and ignorance. Discover the Melungeon people, you will not regret it.

[celestine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Insanely boring. I feel bad giving this 1-star, but I couldn’t finish it quick enough. And it’s only 160 pages, with a large font. This should have been maybe like a 30 page essay, tops. The proposals aren’t totally batshit, or racist like I was expecting (though grasping at straws to prove you are Turkish and Portuguese instead of some melange of Black, Native, and white, comes off a little strange to me), but Mr. Kennedy is a terrible writer, repeating himself incessantly, 75% of his “evidence” being coincidences that tickle his brain, and dwelling far too much on personal, familial history (which, to be fair, he warned about early on). A total slog.

[Dave/Maggie Bean · Rating 4 out of 5]

After skimming this one, I felt that Kennedy would do best to shut his gob and get with the program.

Needless to say, I immediately reexamined my own reaction. It was only a feeling, after all.

As anyone who still reads this blog knows; I'm a son of Europe's "Celtic Fringe." More accurately (and for all that I despise the term as employed in these parts), I'm "Anglo-Celtic." This is a four-dollar way of implying that like that of many Southerners; my DNA is ultimately less a double helix than a Gordian knot of Gael, Gaul/Briton, Angle, Saxon, Jute, Pict, Norse, Roman, and God alone knows what else.

Although convenient, casual racism is every Southern male's assumed birthright; our mixed heritage (our "hybrid vigor," as it were; Patrick Ferguson disparaged it and subsequently paid the piper -- his life comprising the medium of exchange) precludes the committed, vicious, ideology of racial superiority one finds in Mein Kampf, portions of the Talmud, or the ravings of MEChA, the Nation of Islam and the Ku Klux Klan.

Having said that, I'll allow that Kennedy's apparent (if ironic, given his surname) grudge against the Scots-Irish is largely valid. Although James Webb rightly characterized ours as an inclusive culture, our "inclusiveness" often lacks consistency: Blacks named "Riley," Cherokee and Creek chiefs named "MacIntosh," and Mexican/Texan pistoleros bearing my own surname abound.

The Melungeons, though? They took our names -- and nothing else. We wouldn't give them any more.

In all probability, the Gentle Reader is equally unacquainted with the Melungeons, East Tennessee, and the intricate web of racial/ethnic relations in pre-WWII America. As, however, we live in an age of officially sanctioned villains and victims, and pay lip-service to the inherent value of every ostensibly brutalized culture du jour; our failure to remove the beam from our own collective eye whilst vacuuming dust motes from our neighbors' ill becomes us -- every one: us for treating the Melungeons like s**t, and YOU for being unaware of their existence.

[Cabracrazy18 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not Melungeon myself, and I still found this book fascinating. The history it contains is enlightening and extremely well sited. I highly recommend anyone of Appalachian, Southeast Native American or Melungeon decent to read this book. Or anyone interested in history or genealogy. I loved it.

[Y · Rating 3 out of 5]

A history about a group of people I’d never heard of. Much of it was family history of the author, fully of anecdotes from distant relatives, which isn’t an exactly what i was hoping for but was still interesting. Much of the book is the author’s theories about the melungeons. The accepted theories at the time were that they were a blend of blacks, whites, and Indians, that created their own subculture. The author seems to really be triggered by this, for reasons that don’t totally make sense. He proposes a different theory, which is basically the same one but without the black ancestry. Historically, many melungeons claims Portuguese origins and he says that claim is true, specially North African Berbers that invaded Iberia and then migrated to America after the Reconquista. He says his familiars dark complexions were due to this Berber heritage.

Since this book, dna analyses due show some Iberian origins, but appear to more or less confirm the original theory of black, Indian, and white origins.

Book overall was pretty dry and much wasn’t really about the history of the people but instead about his direct family and then his personal theories.

[Dara · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautiful story of connecting one’s own family history to a larger regional mystery. Author has self-admitted to his lack of writing training etc- but also wasn’t in it for the writing but the larger picture. Unfortunately, there were still some careless grammar mistakes and some jumping around that was hard to follow. I did however enjoy the little family stories he included. It helped to humanize the characters in his shared story. Makes me wonder where everyone is at now with this research.

[Dawnda Browning · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story of the meshing of many peoples on the American shores. It explains the Appalachian Mountain people. To my surprise, my DNA is from people all over the world. My family is from the Appalachians North Carolina to West Virginia. I can see where all my origins in my DNA migrated here. This is a very interesting book that took a lot of research to write.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book several times, the first being in a cultural geography class in college. I enjoy it each time I read it. Looking at me, one can see the Scot-Irish ancestry. Looking at some of my family members, one can see the Melungeon.

[Nick Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting enough, but it’s clear this subject would benefit from a more clearly-defined and primary resource-driven approach. This is a book of word-of-mouth theories about a loosely-defined and “otherized” group of tri-racial people that never truly surfaced as a distinct culture, always keeping well-hidden (and ultimately obscured) amidst early and modern US race culture and anti-miscegenation laws.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a descendant of the Melungeons I found this book fascinating and learned a lot about my family history. The Melungeon race is truly fascinating and mysterious.

[Lis Kovach · Rating 3 out of 5]

A whole lot of genealogy of Mr. Kennedy's family with photos. But I agree with his theory of where these people came from.

[Kay Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to read a story about these people and the injustices they encountered not one persons geological history. Not my favorite book.

[Xysea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had heard about the Melungeons from my best friend, whose family is Kentucky born/bred on one side, and Arkansas born/bred on the other.

I have this thing about lost civilizations, and peoples, so this book would be right up my alley, right?

Well, sort of.

For, I'm sure, a lot of reasons, the author chooses to focus on his own family heritage. He also includes pictures of his Melungeon relations. He presents several unsubstantiated theories about where they came from, but mostly it's his own ruminations.

So, the book turns into a family photo album with some backstory. It was fascinating on that one level, but otherwise generally a disappointment.

Back to the drawing board, as far as research/theories go.

[Lori Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had heard of the Melungeons before but this has really helped bring some pieces together. I have roots from the virginia area with some of the surnames listed in the book. I also have famuily rumors on another branch of the family a having Black Dutch, this all being on my Mother's side. My fathers has possible spainish dating back to the time of the New Netherland colony. I am gratfeul for the author's frank discussion of all possibilities. I am open to wherever my genealogy goes but what is most helpful is the medical knowledge presented which goes a long way to shedding light autoimmune issues in myself and family.

[June · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because of some illnesses in my family, I read this book. I've often wondered if there could possibly be a Melungeon connection somewhere. After reading this book, I'm convinced there is. I just don't know where.

The book is fascinating, interesting, as well as compelling.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book in beginning to understanding the Melungeons. I had heard of them before but this book helped peak my interest to research this group of people more to better understand them, the problems they have faced and the fact that their roots here in America are right at my back door.

[Clint Mccain · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this while researching my family roots on my "maternal side."

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting little corner of American history. I hope one day someone does DNA studies to verify the different origin theories.

[Sonya C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book taught me a lot aboout the Melungeons.

[Linda Donohue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched book, I hope the work continues to answer their question on the origins of this group of Americans.

[Deanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

First book I read on Melungeons as I have discovered that my Cherokee ancestors were probably tri-racial.