Melungeon Voices

Melungeon Heritage Association
  • 4.8 (22)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Melungeon Heritage Association is a nonprofit organization that documents and preserves the history and cultural legacy of the Melungeon people of Appalachia, but also mixed ancestry peoples of the Southern and Eastern United States. This podcast brings the extraordinary stories, history, and cultural insights from an array of voices, within the Melungeon, and mixed-ancestry communities. Hosted by Heather Andolina, President of The Melungeon Heritage Association, and co-host Brooke Gibbons. Presented by The Melungeon Heritage Association (www.melungeon.org)

  1. FEB 21

    S6 E4: Jamestown Freedom Pioneers, with Dr. LaTanya Bowman & Dr. Kersten Priest

    Jamestown Freedom Pioneers (c. 1830–1850s) were free people of color in Jamestown, North Carolina whose families and extended networks participated in abolitionist and freedom support activities during the antebellum era. Within a region shaped by an active Quaker presence, free Black families and Quaker allies shared moral opposition to slavery and engaged in efforts to aid freedom‑seeking enslaved people as part of the broader system of clandestine assistance that historians associate with the Underground Railroad in North Carolina. Jamestown’s Quaker communities — including members of the North Carolina Manumission Society and other anti‑slavery advocates — created legal and informal pathways to freedom, negotiating manumissions and facilitating movement northward. During the mid‑19th century, some descendants and kin of these free families migrated westward into the Midwest, contributing to the establishment and growth of free Black settlements, most notably the Weaver Settlement near Marion, Indiana, beginning in the 1840s. Founded by free people of color, including families originally from North Carolina, Weaver became a self‑sustaining community of farms, churches, and businesses and was part of a network of free Black communities that provided refuge and assistance to freedom seekers and formerly enslaved people moving through free states. Together, the Jamestown Freedom Pioneers and their connected communities reflect the complex social, religious, and migratory landscapes of free people of color in the antebellum United States, demonstrating how coordinated local resistance and regional alliances contributed to the broader struggle against slavery.

    59 min

  2. JAN 17

    S6 E4: Marvin Jones of Chowan Discovery Group

    Podcast guest Marvin Jones, Documentary Photographer and Founder of the Chowan Discovery Group. We discuss his mixed ancestry and Melungeon Revolutionary ancestors from the Winton Triangle in Hartford, NC, as well as his Virginia connections.

    1 hr

  3. 12/20/2025

    S6 E3: Melungeon Author, Wayne Winkler

    Former MHA President and Melungeon author, Wayne Winkler, discusses how mixed-ancestry people like the Melungeons influenced and contributed to the American Revolution.

    25 min

  4. 11/22/2025

    S6 E2: Daughters of the American Revolution

    Join the Melungeon Heritage Association for Season 6 Episode 2 with special guest: Daughters of the American Revolution! Links D.A.R. - dar.org D.A.R. members can send names of Patriots to the D.A.R - epu@dar.org If you're not a member yet, you can ask for more information - epu@dar.org We will also have all of this information on the Melungeon Roots website: melungeonroots.com

    39 min

  5. 10/18/2025

    S6 E1: Melungeon Roots Resource Center & Online Community

    MHA President Heather Andolina speaks with Jes Arnold, creator of the new Melungeon Roots website (melungeonroots.com), a Melungeon resource center and online community. Jes is an amateur genealogist and researcher, and a Melungeon descendant with deep roots in Eastern Kentucky. Through her project, Jes aims to support those seeking to learn more about their mixed ancestry heritage, foster a greater understanding of Melungeon history and identity, and uncover and retell the stories of lost ancestors. In this episode, we also share our new 'We Are Melungeon' song! If you enjoy the song, you can download it here for free from our website and play it anytime! Hosted by Heather Andolina, President of the Melungeon Heritage Association, Co-hosted by Brooke Gibbons, Presented by The Melungeon Heritage Association (melungeon.org) Note: This episode was originally recorded as a live YouTube video. There were some technical issues with the audio, so this podcast begins when the audio starts (intro is missing). Season 6 will focus on the 250th Anniversary of the American Revolution and the contributions and significance of the Melungeon people and people of mixed ancestry to the American Revolution. The episodes will be dropped monthly instead of weekly, with more content in between episodes to learn more about each episode, and we will let you know the date and time of each new episode.

    1h 1m

  6. 11/22/2024

    S5 EP7: Melungeon and Redbone Ancestral Connections

    In this season’s finale episode, MHA Board President Heather Andolina welcomes YouTube creator Danielle Romero and discovers how she found out about her Melungeon and Redbone ancestry, how the two communities are similar, and what inspired her to start her own YouTube channel you’ll want to discover for yourself. Danielle Romero is a YouTube creator and hosts the YouTube channel NYTN where she explores American identity and hidden history. She also delves into her multicultural heritage (both Melungeon and Redbone ancestry) through her documentary series "Finding Lola," uncovering the complex stories of her ancestors in Louisiana. Born in New York, she now lives in Tennessee with her family. Guest contact information: NYTN YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/@nytn Social media handle: @ImFindingLola  Hosted by Heather Andolina Produced by Lis Malone (Lis Malone LLC) Presented by the Melungeon Heritage Association

    25 min

  7. 11/15/2024

    S5 EP6: At-Risk Populations of Appalachia & Southern U.S.

    In this episode, Heather Andolina welcomes John King to discuss at-risk populations, specifically the poor, homeless, and mixed-ethnic and non-white communities in Appalachia and the Southeastern United States. John also introduces listeners to the conference, Class Con, and why he started the conference and what it's all about. John King is an American Cultural Studies PhD candidate at Bowling Green State University and is a graduate of Berea College with a degree in Popular Culture. He studies at-risk populations with a particular focus on poor and homeless groups in the Southeastern United States. Most recently King was a contributing author for the Soulful Sounds of Derbytown, chronicling the history of black musicians and entertainers in Louisville, Kentucky. John King / Class Con https://www.bgsu.edu/library/classcon.html will be March 14-15, 2025 at BGSU Jerome Library. It is free to present and attend, and will also be available on Zoom. Past presentations can be found in their digital archive: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/classcon/  If anyone would like to get updates on Class Con 2025, or to become a member, please email classcon@bgsu.edu Additional information mentioned in the episode: Frederick Murphy's new documentary "The Indelible Appalachians" Social media @historybeforeus Spcial thanks to Kathy Lyday, Vice President of the MHA Hosted by Heather Andolina (MHA President) Produced by Lis Malone (Lis Malone LLC) Presented by the Melungeon Heritage Association

    31 min

  8. 11/08/2024

    S5 EP5: Overcoming Generational Trauma and Melungeon Resilience

    Nae Whitman joins Heather Andolina to talk about her journey in overcoming generational trauma, the resilience of the Melungeon people, her fierce support of the LGBTQIA community, and her future writing, and performing endeavors. Nae Cole Whitman is a writer of essay, travel, fiction, and food, as well as a poet and bon vivant. She has written her first memoir called “Hag,” and is working on her second memoir which will be called, “Factory Girl.”  She describes herself as a Melungeon descendant, newly-diagnosed-ADD Bodacious Broad Cisgender Woman and strong LGBT advocate. Someone with an obsession for diners, cool old lamps, belly dancing, road trips, and Tom Jones. She adores brunches which turn into dinners, prefers barefoot picnics to fine dining, and believes biscuits with honey to be a cure-all. Nae is also a DJ and a performer with a one woman show also called, “Factory Girl.”  Nae Cole Whitman contact info: www.linktr.ee/houseofnae  Social media @houseofnae  Find "Hag" on Amazon Additional links mentioned in this episode: Kiran Singh Sirah www.kiransinghsirah.net  Social media @kiransinghsirah Hosted by Heather Andolina (MHA President) Produced by Lis Malone (Lis Malone LLC) Presented by the Melungeon Heritage Association

    35 min
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About

The Melungeon Heritage Association is a nonprofit organization that documents and preserves the history and cultural legacy of the Melungeon people of Appalachia, but also mixed ancestry peoples of the Southern and Eastern United States. This podcast brings the extraordinary stories, history, and cultural insights from an array of voices, within the Melungeon, and mixed-ancestry communities. Hosted by Heather Andolina, President of The Melungeon Heritage Association, and co-host Brooke Gibbons. Presented by The Melungeon Heritage Association (www.melungeon.org)

Information

  • Creator
    Melungeon Heritage Association
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Melungeon Heritage Association
  • Show Website
    Melungeon Voices