Hey Guess What - Brian Hodges - The Road Trip

The word “Melungeon” is of Arabic descent and literally means, “cursed soul.” It was originally used as a racial epithet on the same derogatory level as “nigger.” Upon later research, I discovered that after several hundred years of intermarrying with people of all races, the distinct Melungeon “look” has all but faded. More often than not, you would never be able to tell if somebody was a Melungeon just by looking at them. Now, “Melungeon” is more a word that its people call themselves with pride as a reminder of a common and unique heritage – albeit, one shrouded in mystery. "


North from the Mountains: A Folk History of the Carmel Melungeon Settlement, Highland County, Ohio ( Melungeon Series; V.2)