UVa-Wise biologist unveils Melungeon genetics study

By ROBERT BAIRD, Staff Writer June 25, 2002


"KINGSPORT, Tenn. - Melungeons are a genetically diverse group of people who can trace their origins to the Middle East, India and the Mediterranean region. And DNA results unveiled last week confirmed Melungeons have European, African, African-American and Native American ancestry. "If anyone has ever said, 'you inbred Melungeon,' they are wrong," Kevin Jones told about 250 people attending a Thursday press conference held here during Fourth Union: A Melungeon Gathering. A University of Virginia's College at Wise biologist who teaches cell biology and genetics, Jones conducted a recently completed two-year study of Melungeon DNA."

The Seven Daughters of Eve: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry

Melungeon Secret Solved, Sort Of

Kristen Philipkoski 06.21.02

"Brent Kennedy, author of The Melungeons: The Resurrection of a Proud People: An Untold Story of Ethnic Cleansing in America, had previously discovered his genes contained this sequence through a private DNA analysis company.

"I'm amazed and pleased to see that duplicated here," he said.
The study has not been through the peer-review process but Jones hopes to publish by the end of the year.

The Melungeons have suffered discrimination throughout history because their neighbors perceived them to be darker-skinned, and somehow less entitled to good land and to money.

Jones never intended to jump into the middle of a debate on racial and ethnic identity, but, alas, the Melungeons gave him no choice."

The Melungeon DNA Surname Project

Melungeon DNA Study

Results Announced in Melungeon DNA Study

Libby Pearson Killebrew

"DNA sequencing proves that Melungeons do indeed have an element of Middle Eastern ancestry, which may be linked to both male and female colonists brought to North America by the Spanish and Portuguese."

Melungeon historians of today .....Melungeon..

WHO ARE THE MELUNGEONS? THERE ARE AS MANY THEORIES AS RESEARCHERS ON PUZZLING QUESTION By Dallas Bogan

Reprinted with Permission from Dallas Bogan. This article was published in the LaFollette Press.


"Recent discoveries, through DNA in 1990, have added new confirmation concerning the relationship between the Melungeon people and the Mediterranean vicinity. Blood samples taken in 1969 from 177 Melungeon descendants showed no noteworthy differences between East Tennessee and southwestern Melungeons and inhabitants in Portugal, Canary Islands, North Africa, Malta, Cyprus, and Turkey. Further investigations illustrate that these same relationships are found in Virginia and select inhabitants in South America and Cuba. Melungeon historians of today have discovered a fascinating relationship between the unusual diseases of the Melungeon descendants and those of the eastern Mediterranean people. Because of the unfamiliarity of these diseases, I will not go into them at this time."

Genetics and Diseases

Genetic diseases appear in Melungeon populations which only seem to appear elsewhere in populations from the Iberian peninsula and north Africa."

Melungeon Diseases

"Melungeon descendants show a heavy propensity toward such Mediterranean diseases as thalassemia, familial Mediterranean fever, and sarcoidosis. We are presently documenty cases of Appalachian Melungeons with both sarcoidosis and thalassemia, and suspect that our findings in this area will greatly impact the medical communtiy's understanding of sarcoidodid among us so-called "Caucasians."

"Thalassemia, incidently, is most common in Portugal, Italy, and Greece, and among Americanswith Mediterranean heritages. Sarcoidosis is also present among the Portuguese, especially those with a link to the Canary Islands and those in the Alente- (southern) region."

The Notorious Meddler: Micajah Bunch - King of the Melungeons

The Sefardim of the Island of Nevis

Melungeon DNA Sizemore

This post on the Melungeon Mailing List, hosted by Rootsweb@ancestry.com is from Brent Kennedy.

"A Note on Melungeons" by Swan Burnett

American Anthropologist By American Ethnological Society, Anthropological Society of Washington (Washington, D.C.), JSTOR (Organization)

Page 347

Unparalleled 50% Promotional Discount

Advertising on the Rootsweb is illegal. Janet Crain is aware of the policies of Rootsweb, yet she still continues to abuse the Melungeon Mailing Lists for her own gain.

DISEASES/ILLNESSES -- Many descendants of Melungeons are susceptible to diseases with Mediterrean and other exotic (to us Americans, anyway) origins, for example, Bechet's Syndrome, Joseph's Disease, Mediterrean Familial Fever, Sarcoidosis, Thallasemia, etc. so the presence of a genetically inherited disease in your family which normally affects persons of genetic backgrounds that don't agree with your believed background can provide clues to your true genetic makeup.

Katherine Vande Brake

Katie Brake has a new book published title "Through the Back Door: Melungeon Literacies and Twenty-first Century Technologies." The book is one of the Melungeon Series.

Scientist: Man in Americas earlier than thought

By Marsha Walton and Michael Coren

CNN
Thursday, November 18, 2004 Posted: 5:12 PM EST (2212 GMT)) -- Archaeologists say a site in South Carolina may rewrite the history of how the Americas were settled by pushing back the date of human settlement thousands of years.

New Evidence Puts Man In North America 50,000 Years Ago

excerpt:

"ScienceDaily (Nov. 18, 2004) — Radiocarbon tests of carbonized plant remains where artifacts were unearthed last May along the Savannah River in Allendale County by University of South Carolina archaeologist Dr. Albert Goodyear indicate that the sediments containing these artifacts are at least 50,000 years old, meaning that humans inhabited North American long before the last ice age."

Melungeon Genesis

The Indian Ancestry of the Melungeons

By Dr. James Nickens

Melungeons celebrate heritage in East Tennessee

by : Anthony Welsch Updated: 6/28/2008 1:04:37 AM Posted: 6/27/2008 11:46:05 PM

Shaheen Jafargholi

Mahala Mullins Cabin

Picture taken from the 1947 Chicago Post Magazine.

Note : standing in front of the chimney is three children.

Manuel Mira & Helen Campbell

"Melungeon Voices " by Juilie Dixon

Camp Nelson National Cemetery, Kentucky

U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs Database

Jerry Wayne Ferguson

Mr. Jerry Wayne Ferguson age 65, the husband of Penny Ferguson of London Kentucky, passed away July 16th, 2009. Penny is known around the world for Melungeon research.

Flowers are welcome or donations may be sent to the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, 1500 College Way, Lexington, KY 40502.



Melungeons.com send our hearts and prayers to Penny and her family.

"Melungeon Myth"

Here's some Earth shattering news from the ISS (International Space Station)

Michelle Obama's Family Tree.......

Michelle Obama's Family Tree has Roots in a Carolina Slave Plantation
By Kimberly Powell, About.com Guide to Genealogy since 2000

Ancestry of Barack Obama

By Kimberly Powell, About.com

Family Watch Dog

Viona Howery sent this site to me to pass along to all, thanks Marie for this important site !!!!

Book Review: WHEN SCOTLAND WAS JEWISH

Bluestar Dance Troupe

The History of Nicholas County, West Virginia

I have many ancestors who lived in Nicholas County, one left Fort Pitt and traveled and stated his claim in what is now Nicholas County,

Melungeon Books

This book is an eye opening. Also, reveals the character of mountain peoples.
" The Melungeons: The Resurrection of a Proud People : An Untold Story of Ethnic Cleansing in America " by N. Brent Kennedy (Author), Robyn Vaughan Kennedy (Author)


Product Details
Paperback: 180 pages
Publisher: Mercer University Press; 2 Sub edition (January 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0865545162
ISBN-13: 978-0865545168

[MELUNGEON] Unparalleled 50% Promotional Discount

From: "ljcrain"

Date: Mon, 8 Jun 2009 22:38:48 -0600

Once again, Janet Crain, administrator of the Melungeon List, has violated the rules set forth by Rootsweb. She is marketing for one of the top DNA labs in America. In my opinion, Ms. Crain has abused her job for her own gain, what ever it be.


Re: [MHS_Forum] Unparalleled 50% Promotional Discount

Raspberries to Janet Crain!!!!!!

Brent Kennedy in Rehabilitation 2007

...........Johnnie Rhea

Ancestry of Barack Obama

By Kimberly Powell, About.com

Barack Obama visiting his Ancestral Homeland

President Obama, so many say, is a Melungeon. His maternal ancestry traces back to the Bunch line. Over the summer I will try my best to document our President's Melungeon heritage. I hope that Barack Obama will hear the voices of his Melungeon ancestors and honors his Melungeon heritage.

Top picture: President Barack Obama visiting his homeland, Kenya.

Bottom: Obama sitting at his desk in Washington, D. C.