Race and Place: Carmel, Ohio

Segregation is no secret in American history- place and space have been restricted to persons of color since the country’s beginnings.  In the 19^th century when people were labeled as being one of three races, there were also the Melungeons. Melungeons are people of mixed ancestry who are believed to have origins of European (mainly Portuguese), Native American, and African descent.  Because they could not fit into any racial category, they experienced great difficulty throughout history.

Labeled as “Free Persons of Color,” Melungeons were heavily restricted from enjoying the same privileges as the white population.   They could not vote, work, and were unable to purchase land in many southern states.  This prompted many families to locate within Ohio to search for employment and create a better life.  However, as many racist social attitudes and laws persisted in Northern states, these people continued to be forced into living in small hamlets away from the rest of the population.  Carmel, Ohio, is one example of such a place.

The area surrounding Carmel was originally given to veterans who served in the Revolutionary War.  Since slavery was banned in all states in the Northwest Territory, some settlers from the South brought Melungeons to work on their farms. Due to their appearance, farmers kept them from becoming socially and economically mobile by refusing to pay decent wages. They were forced to reside in Carmel and became known as “Carmelites.”  Carmelites were not able to attend school with white children and many establishments in surrounding towns did not permit them to enter; outside of Carmel, the Carmelites had literally no freedom. Carmel was created as a place for segregation to continue within Ohio.

 Growing up near Carmel, I always found it to be a peculiar place. Now the town is nearly extinct; it has a population well under one hundred and no businesses, school, or active churches. Before I understood the town’s history, it always made me wonder why someone would have ever moved to Carmel in the first place. Throughout the 19^th and into the 20^th century, Carmel was used as a place to keep an exploited labor force out of sight from the white population. Today, it only serves as a relic of Ohio’s segregated past.

As of recently, people of Melungeon heritage are reconnecting and developing their history.  Melungeon, once a derogatory term, now is used by these people to identify themselves and their multicultural heritage.  To read more, check out http://melungeon.ning.com/