The Melungeons, Their Origin and Kin
By Bonnie Sage Ball, self-published 1969
By Bonnie Sage Ball, self-published 1969
A generation ago census records of certain mountainous counties of Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Carolina, and others proved somewhat confusing. This was due to the presence of a strange group of people whose origin was, and has remained, one of the deepest and most fascinating mysteries of American ethnology.
The "Melungeons" who were called "ramps" in certain areas by their neighbors, have characteristics that range from those of the whites and American Indians to Orientals or Negroes. This variation prevented a definite race classification, and has also given rise to numerous theories concerning their origin.
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Note: Bonnie Ball's 1969 book has been often mentioned in the Melungeon literature, such that it is, and this excerpt is offered for its historical interest, not as an authoritative source. Bonnie Ball did, however, live near Newmans Ridge and certainly heard many stories of and about Melungeons which she retold and interpreted to the best of her ability and knowledge, and her book is one of the relatively few extended accounts we have of the Melungeons.
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