Bloodlines and racism in historical context

Racism and Bloodliness

How does Alden Vaughn contribute to the discussion of racial constructions in colonial America?

Alden Vaughan's book tries to discover the connection between origins of racism and American History. He explains that due to lack of solid evidence from colonial times, the actual meanings of the terms 'slave', 'servant' or any other racial vocabulary are lost. The meanings scholars and historians attach to them don't explain their relevance to early Americans. He quotes the words of an author Wesley Frank Craven to sustain the fact the very few actual recorded cases of the time exist. The author in a way summarizes the main points of the debate, with scholarly evidence and facilitates the reader in understanding both aspects of it very clearly.

He even explains that slavery did not begin in Virginia, because before it came to the province it was already rampant in other parts of the British Empire as far back as in the sixteenth century. He feels that the state has become the focal point of the slavery debate because of its importance in the British Empire.

However, he cites words of historians from both side of the debate. William Goodell in his history of mid nineteenth century states that it began after the British came to America and began bringing in their African slaves. However, as Vaughan points out Goodell doesn't say if it all started here then why the British had African slaves even before they came to America.

In America, the blacks were 'regarded with disgust' as George Bancroft claims. But he fails to explain where this attitude originated from. James C. Ballagh explains that in 16th century there were no slaves in America as there was no law holding blacks in bondage. Instead the blacks were considered servants only. He along with other historians such as Phillips and Russell has talked about the presence of free blacks in the area. His book is a comprehensive study of the topic as he supports his arguments with quotes from a wide variety of literature. He judges the matter very impartially and presents it to the readers with a very fresh and balanced approach. He gives a very thorough analysis of the whole idea and more than reverts the blame from Virginia and Americans proving that racism and slavery are universal concepts that have nothing to do with the history of Virginia.

Who were the Melungeons? What do they tell us about racial mixtures, and racial attitudes among early colonists?

Melungeon is derisive name given to a mixed race whose origins have been a cause for intrigue and hate for many individuals. In colonial times, they were known to be Appalachians, Portuguese, Turkish slaves or even Gypsies. Their dark skin and mixed, doubtful origin made them a target for the ridicule and hate of the white population.

During 1800s the Melungeons lived on the border between Virginia and Tennessee and the name was used as an insult. The truth however was revealed when the results of a DNA study were printed in the Journal of Genealogy. The results shocked a large part of the white population, as it showed that they were the off springs of sub-Saharan Africans and white, European women.

This proves that although on the surface discrimination was dominant but mixing of races was also endemic. This presents a totally different picture to what has been portrayed by historians. Some researchers claim that such incidents were very common in those times in America and some researchers have pointed out that these children were the product of relations between the white and African servants of the 1600s. It was later that intermingling was banned and restricted.

It is also thought that Melungeons themselves had started the rumor that they were Portuguese, so that they could live with relative freedom. This brought great benefits as a woman even won an inheritance case because her lawyer proved that she had come from Portugal.