This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/ABC.2ACE/3848.1.1.1.1.1.1 Message Board Post: I, for one, resent the remark "Melungeon is a nice way to say colored." I think it is VERY disrespectful for this message board. Melungeon is a word we use in SW VA to describe a "mixture" of ethnic origins for people. Your remark is taking away that mixture and giving us a single group, which is WRONG!! For the record, I happen to be white, but there is nothing wrong with being black, or "colored." We are who we are, and should be proud of it. If it were not for "family traditions" many of us would not have gotten anywhere in our research. I, too, have found most of mine to be true. Your attitude on this matter reminds me of the type of people who think there should be a document for everything and if there is not, then you want to rewrite the history to eliminate the "undocumented" portions. Maybe in years to come, DNA will the be answer to many of our questions. But as for now, it is frustrating to have people with your attitude trying to tell us whether or not our family traditions have merit. This board is for people to find help and encouragement. If you happen to disagree, you should say so in the right way. I have found the best way to break down those brick walls, is to keep and OPEN mind to all possibilities and someday you may find the proof you are looking for. True, you may never find it, but if you don't keep looking with an open mind, you certainly won't find anything.