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What does Martin Luther Kings Historic March in Selma have to do with Louisiana Creoles?
Many Creoles from Louisiana were actively involved in Civil Rights during the 1960's. Below is a excerpt from a 2007 Interview, printed in a Unitarian Fellowship Newsletter in CA., with a member of our DNA group who participated in the march on Montgomery. He describes himself as follows:
"I don't Identify myself by race. …. I come from New Orleans, where I grew up assuming that I was neither black nor white, I was Creole. The Creoles are descended from white people and black also Indian……. Creoles can be any color…….We don't judge one another by our color. We are all Creoles. We have our own Language-they call it "belle langue"--our own district( The French Quarter), our own food, and we are used to being in charge of our own lives."
Please be advised that it may take up to a year before you match anyone in our group depending on how rare/common your DNA is and how many members we have participating. Happy Holidays!
11/15/13
Thank you to every member who gave project donations so others could afford the entry level tests.
6/13/13
This had been a really busy year for this project. Over 369 members. Don't forget to check out the FTDNA discounts for upgrading your tests.
5/26/2012
As of 5/25/2012 an Online Article by Travis Loller of the Associated press about the Jack Goins Melungeon Project Results Findings that assert Melungeons are not who they claimed to be. (Portuguese, Indian, Turkish, Gypsie ect.) That they really are descendents of Sub-Saharan Africans and Whites whose ancestors hid their African American Heritage for fear of discrimination. The researchers of the Melungeon project claim they can prove this because Jack Goins and other test subjects (a small hand picked group of test subjects) have an African Haplo group on the male side Haplo group E. This interpretation of the results is Not Accurate. See below 4/17/11. Your Haplo Group cannot tell you what Race you are. (Race is a political construct) Your Haplo Group does not tell you your ethnicity or the ethniciy your Ancestors.
4/17/11 Helpful Hints for analysing test results:
Your Haplo group for both the Ydna and Mtdna test results indicate the geographical origin of your direct line male and direct line female ancestor from hundreds of years ago. These Haplo groups are not an indication of your unique genetic blend of ancestry. You can find out your genectic blend of ancestry by taking a geographical autosomal test, oral family history, and cultural affiliations.
>01/2011
Creoles and Melungeons Share Common Ancestors: According to Brent Kennedy, in his book, "The Melungeons, The Resurrection of a Proud People," an ethnic group known as the Redbones came to Louisiana via the Carolinas. The book contains a list of surnames for this group, as well as other ethnic groups that migrated to Louisiana from neighboring states. Many of the surnames are common in Louisiana. Check out the Melungeon Heritage Association Website: www.melungeon.org.
Do you have a Chinese Haplo Group? According to a member of the Southern California Genealogy Society, The Chinese were brought to New Orleans in the middle to late 1800's to build the railroads and build the levees. They stayed and had famlies.
More helpful research news is always welcome. Contact the site administrator.
Links of Interest:
French Heritage DNA Project www.frenchdna.org
Louisiana Creole Heritage Society http://www.nsula.edu/creole/
New Orleans Public Library: Creole Genealogy Resources Online http://nutrias.org/links/genlinks/genlinks.htm
LHC: Louisiana Heritage Connection www.louisianaheritageconnection.com