# Are there any Dopers who are Melungeons? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 13, 2003, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420 "2003-04-13T11:58:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/1 "2003-04-13T11:58:55Z")
In an effort to discover the root of a physical ailment with my daughter ( who is full-blooded Korean ) I have come across this fascinating group of people. [The Melungeons](http://www.geocities.com/bourbonstreet/inn/1024/faq.html) claim not to be a race or ethnic group, and yet so much of their tale is bloodline-related. Are there any Dopers who know they are a part of this group, and most importantly to me, have any been asked to provide DNA samples to an international organization of Melungeons? Six Degrees of Separation, indeed. Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/2 "2003-04-13T14:30:47Z")
I think **Nichol\_storm** said, in a previous thread, that both his/her parents are. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/3 "2003-04-13T15:06:50Z")
FYI [Redbones and Melungeons](http://www.murrah.com/gen/redbones.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/4 "2003-04-13T15:43:25Z")
“International organization of Melungeons”? How prevalent are they outside of Tennessee? They’re not all that prevalent _inside_ Tennessee! ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/5 "2003-04-13T15:50:54Z")
[http://athena.english.vt.edu/~appalach/essaysM/melung.htm](http://athena.english.vt.edu/~appalach/essaysM/melung.htm) [http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Ethnicity/Melungeon/](http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Ethnicity/Melungeon/) [http://www.geocities.com/alhnmelungeon/](http://www.geocities.com/alhnmelungeon/) [http://www.melungeonhealth.org/](http://www.melungeonhealth.org/) [http://members.aol.com/strat43z/melung.html](http://members.aol.com/strat43z/melung.html) [http://www.dnet.net/portugal/libby\_page.htm](http://www.dnet.net/portugal/libby_page.htm) [http://www.ukans.edu/heritage/cousin/melungeon.html](http://www.ukans.edu/heritage/cousin/melungeon.html) [http://genforum.genealogy.com/melungeon/](http://genforum.genealogy.com/melungeon/) ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/6 "2003-04-14T01:03:08Z")
Uh , yes… **sailor**. I’m real good at Google too. My O.P. asked if any Dopers were Melungeon’s. Do any of these links address the O.P. ? I Googled them extensively. I have a few questions about the DNA sampling, and I feel more comfortable asking Dopers than going to a web site RUN by these folks. That’s why I asked here. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/7 "2003-04-14T01:55:42Z")
I think people are having a difficult time understanding your connection of Melungeons and your Korean daughter. Of all the theories about their origins, I’ve never heard of one that included Koreans (or Chinese or Japanese or other Asians). I’m struggling myself with what DNA sampling questions you would have for Melungeons that only they could answer. At the risk of adding to your frustration, I think that Discover Mag had an article on Melungeons in their recent issue. Perhaps there are names from the article you could use to contact real live Melugeons. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/8 "2003-04-14T01:56:13Z")
There was an interesting article in a recent _Discover_ about what genetic testing was learning about Melungeons. Not to get too much on a tangent (since **toon** is already miffed), but I was astonished at the claim made in the article that they can take a genetic sample from aperson give you a run-down of the e thnicities of said person. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/9 "2003-04-14T02:42:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cartooniverse \* > Uh , yes… **sailor**. I’m real good at Google too. My O.P. asked if any Dopers were Melungeon’s. Do any of these links address the O.P. ? Well, this being GQ I took it as a GQ. If you want to know if any dopers are Melungeons it seems to me IMHO is the place to ask but I apologise for any distress my post may have caused you which, I assure you, was totally unintended. ---
**Author:** ![Rusalka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecd19e/32.png) [@Rusalka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rusalka)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/10 "2003-04-14T04:02:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cartooniverse \* > \*\*In an effort to discover the root of a physical ailment with my daughter ( who is full-blooded Korean ) I have come across this fascinating group of people. > > Are there any Dopers who know they are a part of this group, and most importantly to me, have any been asked to provide DNA samples to an international organization of Melungeons? > > Six Degrees of Separation, indeed. > \*\* Yes, please do share what you mean by your cryptic comments. Why do you care if a Melungeon provided DNA samples to anyone? I’m assuming that you aren’t Melungeon. Maybe someone will be more forthcoming once you stop being so mysterious. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/11 "2003-04-14T10:31:28Z")
Off to IMHO. bibliophage moderator GQ ---
**Author:** ![undecided](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b5ac83/32.png) [@undecided](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/undecided)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/12 "2003-04-14T12:26:55Z")
I do have Melungeon in my line. In my research I have come across this website [http://www.melungeonhealth.org/](http://www.melungeonhealth.org/). You could email the owner. She may be able to help you with what you want to know. ---
**Author:** ![undecided](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b5ac83/32.png) [@undecided](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/undecided)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/13 "2003-04-14T12:30:52Z")
Sorry I didn’t notice that the same website was listed in **sailor’s** post. Still it is one of the better website’s that I have found concerning Melungeon health. ---
**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/14 "2003-04-14T16:46:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rusalka \* > \*\*Yes, please do share what you mean by your cryptic comments. Why do you care if a Melungeon provided DNA samples to anyone? I’m assuming that you aren’t Melungeon. Maybe someone will be more forthcoming once you stop being so mysterious. \*\* Where is the cryptic comment? The guy was looking on the web for something to help his kid, ran across the Melungeons, and was wondering if there was anyone on here who actually _is_ one so that he can ask some questions. Theres a million sites about gays, muslims, what-have-you’s but we still have Ask-The threads, he’s looking for some first hand imput from someone on the boards? sheesh… ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/15 "2003-04-18T20:34:48Z")
Cartoon: There is now a GD thread “Ask the Melungeon”. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-dopers-who-are-melungeons/168420/16 "2003-04-19T19:19:26Z")
Technically, yes. I have the ridge ( mild ) and “shovel-teeth”. But in my family it was always referred to as “Black Dutch”, not Melungeon. At any rate nobody in my family is involved in any genetic work or societies that I’m aware of. And I have no particular expertise on the topic. - Tamerlane