Interview with Manuel Mira

By Helen Campbell

June 2002

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.

 
Portuguese Making of America: Melungeons and Early Settlers of America

 Forgotten Portuguese

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