Smithsonian
Institution Bureau of American Ethnology - Ethnology - 1907
page 365
Croatan Indians. The
legal designation in North Carolina for a people evidently of mixed
Indian and white blood, found in various e. sections of the state, but
chiefly in Robeson co., and numbering approximately 5,000. For many
years they were classed with the free negroes, but steadily refused to
accept such classification or to attend the negro schools or churches,
claiming to be the descendants of the earlv native tribes and of white
settlers who had intermarried with them. About 20 years ago their claim
was officially recognized and they were given a separate legal
existence under the title of "Croatan Indians," on the theory of
descent from Raleigh's lost colony of Croatan (q. v.).
Under this name they now have separate school provision and are
admitted to some privileges not accorded to the negroes. The theory of
descent from the lost colony may be regarded as baseless, but the name
itself serves as a convenient label for a people who combine in
themselves the blood of the wasted native tribes, the early colonists
or forest rovers, the runaway slaves or other negroes, and probably
also of stray seamen of the Latin races from coasting vessels in the
West Indian or Brazilian trade.
Across the line in
South Carolina are found a people, evidently of similar origin,
designated "Red bones." In portions of w. N. C. and E. Temn. are found
the so-called "Melungeons" (probably from French melangi', 'mixed') or
"Portuguese," apparently an offshoot from the Croatan proper, and in
Delaware are found the "Moors." All of these are local designations for
peoples of mixed race with an Indian nucleus differing in no way from
the present mixed-blood remnants known as Pamunkey, Chicka- hominy, and
Nansemond Indians in Virginia, excepting in the more complete loss of
their identity. In general, the physical features and complexion of the
persons of this mixed stock incline more to the Indian than to the
white or negro. See Mi-tis, Mixed bloods
Also Published:
Handbook of American Indians
North of Mexico -
by Frederick Webb Hodge -
Indians of North America - 1911