The Melungeons: Notes on the Origin of a Race

This thorough ethnological study is both scholarly and highly readable. In it the author objectively traces the roots of one of America's more obscure peoples, the Melungeons. Numerous theories exist for the origin of these people, who were not black nor white nor Indian. In the work, Ball discusses the various theories, their strengths and weaknesses, and the plausibilities of each. These theories include the roles of Sir Walter Raleigh's "Lost Colony", shipwrecked Portugese sailors, followers of Spain's Fernando de Soto who were left behind in America, various Native American tribes, and black slaves in the Melungeon ancestry. The author has included a comprehensive list (eight pages) of "Some Suggested Reading" to provide the broadest possible range of information. This work is a must-have for anyone interested in early Appalachian history and ethnic development in America.

Bonnie Ball was an elementary school teacher.