Manuel Mira is a world known author of several books
about the Portuguese and their role in shaping America's
early history. Manuel Mira was born in Portugal and now
he lives in America's Appalachian Mountains in North
Carolina. Throughout his life, Manuel has lived on three
continents, which has resulted in a unique understanding
of the diverse forgotten groups of people that the
Portuguese blended in with around the world. His
dedication to history and research has uncovered long
forgotten facts about early American and Portuguese
history. His research also reveals facts and clues
about the mysterious Melungeons who live in America's
Southeast for centuries.
Manuel is on the Board of Directors of the
Portuguese-American Historical & Research Foundation.
The organization’s purpose is to research and preserve
early American history and Portuguese settlements in
North America. Also other groups directly or indirectly
connected with Portuguese ancestry.
Manuel is on the Board of Directors of The
Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United
States, Inc., known as (PALCUS) is an independent,
non-profit, non-partisan, 501(c) 3 institution
incorporated in 1991 and headquartered in Washington,
DC. PALCUS was founded in the conviction that adequate
attention to the varied domestic and international
concerns of the Portuguese-American community of the
United States required the establishment of an effective
national organization.
Manuel Mira was the guest speaker at the Library of
Congress on April 3, 2002. Manuel Mira presented a
lecture about Melungeons and his new book,
The Forgotten Portuguese: The Melungeons and Other
Groups: The Portuguese Making of America. Manuel
Mira discussed the results of his research about the
existence of Portuguese settlers in North America since
the 15th century.
The Mary Pickford Theater-auditorium was almost full
which certainly demonstrated a curiosity and desire to
know more about the Portuguese and the Melungeons as
well as a success. The author of the book Manuel Mira
spoke about the need for more research on the early
American history and the participation of the various
groups in the making of this great country. At the end
of the conference some of the students present as well
as others asked several questions about the Melungeons
and how to research them. The connection to the
Portuguese and other nationalities was also puzzling to
the audience. There was a discussion about the
connection between the Melungeons and the Portuguese and
included a half hour electronic slide presentation
followed by a discussion with questions and answers.
Mira said "The presentation at the Library of Congress
went well and definitely there is an interest to know
more about the Melungeons and their odyssey. My books,
most often ask questions and have few answers, however
brings up historical facts that should be taken into
consideration in a research of that magnitude. There are
many speculations and everyone takes a particular side,
to the ones with independent minds, the truth relies in
facts backed up with logic."
Questions posed to Manuel Mira during his book tour
Q1. Are the Melungeon people real? Do they really
exist?
MM. Yes, they are real and very much live. When I
first found out, I was not so sure and had to prove it
with my own eyes. After reading so much about Hancock
County and Sneedville back in the early 90's, my wife
and I decided to make a trip and see the "strange"
Melungeon people. After reading about the Melungeons,
naturally we had some reservations when we drove into
Sneedville because not only we were not Melungeons but
also were foreigners with a Portuguese accent. Since
both of us have a spirit of adventure we took a chance.
Much to our surprise, we found Sneedville to be a
friendly place when we visited the Hancock Court House
and spoke with Scott Collins. He welcomed us and had a
lunch with him at a local restaurant. We found the food
not strange at all and to our surprise turnip greens was
served. We started to feel at home. Then Scott
introduced us to a few Melungeons which definitely had a
Mediterranean appearance like us and told us where to go
to see a few of the old Melungeon homes and the
cemetery. A few people said hi to us, we took a few
pictures and left quite pleased that the Melungeons did
exist and the ones we met were quite nice people.
Q2.
Where is Hancock County and Sneedville?
MM. Near the eastern border of Tennessee with
southwest Virginia in the middle of the Appalachian
Mountains.
Q3. Why some of the Melungeons claim Portuguese ancestry
and when was it first recorded?
MM. Some say they did for protection, others say
it was because did not want to be considered Black
because the Blacks did not have any rights. If this is
the case then it is one of the longest surviving lies.
Why should they lie or choose such an origin as
Portugal? Portugal was not necessarily a very known
country and still is not today and maps did not abound
showing Portugal. May be it is not a lie, and if this is
the case may be there is a logical reason why the
Melungeons arrived in North America unknown to the
English, the French and Spaniards which were the
colonizing powers in this continent since the 1500's.
The research done to date by myself and others points to
the presence of unknown people in the 16th century
already living in a settlement. There are a number of
books who mention the encounter of John Sevier in the
late 18th century, however I have not been able to find
the original document, although there is strong
indications that it did exist at one time. When inquired
with some of the old Librarians, the answer was somewhat
suspicious, as if he knew something that was not suppose
to be divulged. After the 19th century the connection
starts to appear in several documents, the most famous
was article by Will Allen Droomgoole in 1891.
Q4.
If they indeed were here since the late 15th century,
how did they get here?
MM. Good question which brings another question.
Who had the facilities of navigating in the open oceans
at that time? Certainly was not the French or the
English and the only voyage made by the Spaniards was
done by Christopher Columbus - known as Colon in the
Spanish speaking world - in 1492. By then the
grandchildren of the Portuguese navigators were aboard
Columbus's ships, so the Portuguese had the know how and
the resources to travel in the open oceans and return.
If any people would have arrived in the north American
continent could only have been brought by the Portuguese
at that early stage. If they came later, in the 17th,
18th and 19th century records would have been available
and their arrival recorded by the French, Spanish,
English or even the Dutch when they were one of the
colonial powers in the northeast. So to get a proper
answer we have to use some logic and then pursue more
research.
Q5. Some Melungeons also claim other ancestry beside
Portuguese, is it possible?
MM. Yes, and one of the origins mentioned are from
people originating in what was known at the time as the
Ottoman Empire. Since Portugal was at war with the
Ottomans in the Far East, many from Turkey, the Balkans,
and other parts of the Mediterranean were made
prisoners, both men and women which eventually wound up
in some of the Portuguese colonies in India. The reverse
also happened with the Ottoman taking Portuguese
prisoners in some of the battles. The voyages to and
from India in the early 15th century were constant and
many shipwrecks took place. Then there is the Sephardic
Jews who went to England, Holland and the middle east as
well as Brazil and Barbados. They also found their way
to North-America. Did they join with the Melungeons
already settled? Only more research can answer that.
Q6.
Can DNA tests provide the answer?
MM. Yes, but only partially due the miscegenation
of peoples from different parts of the world. People in
Portugal during the discovery period came from the Far
East, China, Japan, Indonesia, Italian peninsula and
more. So, one has to be careful not to take DNA as the
only answer.
Q7. It appears that some Melungeons trace their history
back to the West Indies. Does your research find a link?
MM. There is definitely a link to Barbados and
other areas of the Caribbean. According to records, many
crypto Jews which were converted to the Christian
religion at the end of the 15th century in Portugal, and
called New Christians went to Brazil in the 16th century
mainly to flee persecution from the Inquisition. Later
the Dutch invaded some of the Portuguese Colonies in
South America and when that happen the Jews (New
Christians) were allowed to practice their faith in the
open.
That did not last long because the Portuguese took over.
That's when the Jews decided to leave Brazil in order
not to be persecuted by the Inquisition. They landed in
Barbados on their way to North America were they
eventually arrived. Not all left Barbados at the same
time and to the same place. The rest is history and a
lot of research.
Q8.
The Sephardic Jews had a great influence in the history
of Portugal. Is it possible that the Melungeons are a
mixture of Portuguese and Sephardic Jews?
MM. Yes, my research points to a Sephardic Jew -
Melungeon connection, not only through Barbados,
Brazil but also from India and other places, most likely
in the early 16th century. Yes, the settlers at Santa
Helena were a mixture of Portuguese and Spaniards,
however they were all classified as Spanish due to the
fact that Spain and Portugal was under the same crown.
King Felipe II of Spain and King Felipe I was the same
person.
Prior to 1587, the Portuguese presence was being felt
throughout the Southeast. The first book ever written
about what later be part of the USA was done by a
Portuguese in 1540, describing Hernando de Soto
exploration. The Portuguese pursue their own way
independent of the Spaniards since they were not
necessarily in the most friendly terms.
Q9.
Is the surname Borges Portuguese?
MM Yes, Borges is a very common name.
Q10.
In my own ongoing research, I'm finding so many families
went to New Spain also known as Spanish Americas. Does
your research bring to light that this was a migration
path?
MM. Yes, most of the immigration went to New
Spain, most via Cuba since it was the capital.
Q11.
Does your research reveal that Melungeons were in
America before the European Jamestown settlement?
MM. As for the Melungeons being here before other
Europeans, it is the only logic way to explain their
isolation. All other groups that came late join together
as new elements arrived. Keep in mind that the first
thing an immigrant does when arriving at a foreign
country is to survive, and the best way is to look for
others they can identify as of their own similar
origins. Together and united they feel safe.
Many Portuguese went to all those places and more. A
Portuguese crossed South America on foot from the
Atlantic to the Pacific through what is today Bolivia.
He had a very small army of native volunteers to help
fight his way through.
For further study into the early history of the American
and Portuguese and Manuel Mira's books, please visit the
following links.
Forgotten Portuguese: The Melungeons and Other Groups  Portuguese
Making of America: Melungeons and Early Settlers of
America
| 
