Melungeon DNA Study Reveals Ancestry, Upsets 'A Whole Lot Of People:

originally posted by: Spider879

originally posted by: Blue Shift

originally posted by: Spider879
First Off the above is a great example of why we need a history forum as it does not fit in the ancient Civ forum or neatly fit into the Social Issues box..ATS brass are U guyz paying attention.

I don't know if starting a Racism Forum is a good move.

Why assume a history forum would be all about race and racism.

History would be an interesting forum.

There are lots of incidents of history that are and aren't conspiracy like the Hindenburg or the sinking of the Titanic. Plenty of mystery. Sure you can put them in other forums, but they would also fall into history, too.

originally posted by: odzeandennz

originally posted by: butcherguy
a reply to: ketsuko
I can see why people would get upset.
As for me, I figure that we can't pick our ancestors. I yam what I yam.

classy... but explain why, not people, but certain people would get upset?
because i cant see why....

Racism would the only reason that I can think of.
Not sure what you meant by the 'classy' thing.

a reply to: Nickn3

My Cherokee great-great-great grandmother appeared out of thin air in the early 1840's along one of the "Trail of Tears" routes; the tribes being moved from their traditional homelands back east to reservations in Oklahoma.

It was a time of displacement for the Cherokees, even after they had won a Supreme Court ruling that stated that they could stay on their ancestral homeland. Alas, Gold was discovered on their land and they had to go. Andrew Jackson ignored the SC ruling and organized groups of 1000 be formed and with a military escort marched them halfway across America.

The Cherokee were highly intelligent and literate; hardly the dumb savages in the Hollywood movies.

Sure some may be upset because they figured that they were one ethnicity background but it's turns out to be different. Though if they are racialist types, even the most ardent purists and racists will find disappointment with DNA tests as it's not uncommon to find sub Saharan African DNA and Asiatic DNA in the most Caucasian of people.

originally posted by: TEOTWAIKI
a reply to: Nickn3

My Cherokee great-great-great grandmother appeared out of thin air in the early 1840's along one of the "Trail of Tears" routes; the tribes being moved from their traditional homelands back east to reservations in Oklahoma.

It was a time of displacement for the Cherokees, even after they had won a Supreme Court ruling that stated that they could stay on their ancestral homeland. Alas, Gold was discovered on their land and they had to go. Andrew Jackson ignored the SC ruling and organized groups of 1000 be formed and with a military escort marched them halfway across America.

The Cherokee were highly intelligent and literate; hardly the dumb savages in the Hollywood movies.

A great book on America's multi heritage and all the complexities therein is in the pgs of this book, matter of fact part of what was to become the Melungeons may have connections to internal migrations through conflicts and displacement of people like these and those of your ancestors, conflicts often separate people but they also throw people together for a common cause, Blacks, First world people and Whites bonding together to escape slavery and oppression forging new frontier , time permitting I may just start a thread on this aspect of American history.

originally posted by: Spider879



WoW.

coincidence??
i think the people that are so gutted about the revelation of their ancestry should just off themselves.... save the rest of us some oxygen.

originally posted by: odzeandennz
originally posted by: Spider879

WoW.

coincidence??
i think the people that are so gutted about the revelation of their ancestry should just off themselves.... save the rest of us some oxygen.

Yeah Wow! indeed didn't see that coming, I think revelations like this is ultimately for the good, overtime it will dawn on them that they are just people the total some of all our combined ancestors both oppressors and oppressed, saints and sinners, genius and village idiot our time and space is for us use or misuse it.

I see no reason for anyone to be upset by these findings. When you consider some our ancestors questionnable breeding practices, a bit of black - white mixing is surely a good thing? At least they are the same species - no hairy neanderthals or denisovians sneaking in!

Interesting find thanks. It must have been a very interesting period of US history.

a reply to: Spider879

So true. The Muscogee/Creek branch of my family was multiracial like that. In fact, the Seminoles & Muscogee/Creek had alliances with former African slaves & free African Americans, as well as African members of their tribes. It's crazy that they don't teach that side of American history a part of the standard curriculum. In fact, my Mom's family tree are still certified members of the Muscogee Tribe (tribal affiliation is passed down through the daughters & mothers, though I think the tribe is working on changing that).

As for the Melungeon, there are rumors President Lincoln & Elvis were Melungeon. Though I think a lot of that comes from rural myths & legends. It would be interesting to see how history would be rewritten if it were true. Perhaps they should DNA test them? Too soon?

As for the people asking why some people would be mad about this, just think about it for a second. America just ended all bans on interracial marriages in 1967. And Congress didn't end it, nor did the majority of Americans at the time want it ended. The Supreme Court ended the bans unilaterally. In fact, I think all of the Southeastern States had banned interracial marriages by law at the time. Here's a link w/a Gallup poll on American attitudes towards interracial marriage since 1958.

In other words, a lot of people are still racist & don't like the possibility of being "black". There are people who'll disown their daughters right now if they even date an African American male, much less marry one. Remember, in many States, you were legally considered "black" if you had even a drop of African blood in your bloodline. That's why Pres Obama is considered "black" by most Americans, even though his mother is "white". And during the Racial Segregation period (1870s-1960s), you were literally a 2nd class citizen the moment you were legally classified as "black". Many multiracial people passed themselves off as part Native American, Spanish, or Portuguese in order to escape being "black". That's probably where the legends of the Melungeon's "mysterious" heritage comes from.