At 6/27/2010 12:25 PM Sunday, [email protected] wrote: *********START OF ORIGINAL MESSAGE TEXT********* >Sarge, > Thank you for the reference. I also have heard the "Black Germans" >were from the Black Forest area of Germany; but I think the site definition >quoted below is pretty close to the mark: > >"Black Dutch is a term with several different meanings in United States >dialect and slang. It generally refers to racial, ethnic, or cultural roots. >Its meaning has varied in different parts of the nation and at different >times.Black Dutch is a term with several different meanings in United States >dialect and slang. It generally refers to racial, ethnic, or cultural >roots. Its meaning has varied in different parts of the nation and at >different >times." > > As far as the term "Melungeon" is concerned, I believe it is a name >that has covered many areas, especially in the deep south, that were wrapped >up in racial conflicts that covered a whole range of ethnic and cultural >backgrounds that did not fit into the general German-English-Irish settlers >background. > > The Cherokee nation of Georgia, Alabama were brillant people, not only >creating an alphabet for their language; but trying to blend into the >culture by dressing and conducting business as all the other settlers, some >owning property and business which were lost during the great march to the >west. Many of those stayed behind and tried not to be a part of that march in > >various ways and many suceeded in many different ways. > >Chocy **********END OF ORIGINAL MESSAGE TEXT*********** Chocy, As far as "Melungeon" goes, I truly believe that there is more to the term than just a "one covers all" definition. You, and others may disbelieve, but here's something to ponder. "It is said" that the descendants of "Melungeons", when injured, have scars that are "purple" or some shade thereof. "It is also said" that when their children are born, they are not "white", but have "purple or violet- colored skin". I had always been of the opinion that was just "folklore", until my brother, who works at Eastman in Kingsport, told me about a co-worker. The co-worker claimed he was a "Melungeon". He had been injured in the past and his scars were indeed "purple". He brought in a photo of his new-born child, and the child's skin was the most gorgeous color of violet you have ever seen. (I've seen the photo.) ????? Of course, within a few days the child was a normal "white" color. As many of you may know, the "Melungeons" seem to have been centered around Kingsport, TN. I don't have a clue about their ancestry, but I'll tell you right now that they weren't "Black Dutch"! Thinking back now to my growing up in East Tennessee, I remember people (whose surnames are supposedly connected to Melungeon) that many people with those "related " surnames did indeed match all the descriptions of Melungeon people. (I won't even get into one family I knew who ate "lard, seasoned with sugar and maple syrup" for breakfast every day!) They were the same family who worked during the year for a farmer, and, at the end of the "reckoning year", were told that they had worked so many hours for the farmer, who said that they had worked for X number of hours or days, and that the numbers of hours/days they had worked should be subtracted from the number of hours/days they should be paid for. Yes, it actually happened! Those poor Melungeon folks worked year-round and ended up at the end of the year owing the farmer more work, free, the next year. I'm not saying that the Melungeon folks in my neck of the woods were stupid, just that they lacked a little understanding of reality. No, the "Black Dutch" were not "Melungeons"! Sarge My Germanna Database at Rootsweb: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=germanna My Germanna Website at Rootsweb: http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry/~george/index.html