The Secret History of the Redbones

The Louisiana Redbones settled a strip of land that, for about fifteen years, belonged to no country at all; no law, no government, no census taker. That's the Neutral Strip, between Texas and Louisiana, and it's where this story starts. In this one I get into how I found my own Redbone roots, the surnames that keep showing up (Ashworth, Goins, Chavis), what the 1893 Rigmaiden Report actually said, where the name "Redbone" might come from, and how the community is different from the Melungeons and the Creoles I usually cover. Ashworth. Goins. Perkins. Chavis. Dial. Recognize any of these surnames in your family tree? I put together a FREE surname reference for the Redbone, Melungeon, and Lumbee communities — with the counties and parishes where those families settled. Grab it here → https://nytonashville.com/shoplola/fr... 00:00 – Inside the Isolated World of Louisiana’s Redbones 01:31 – The Moment I Discovered My Redbone Roots 02:40 – Why "Redbone" is a Culture, Not Just an Ethnic Group 03:18 – The 1893 Rigmaiden Report: A Racial Mystery Solved? 04:52 – The Ashworths & Goins: Famous Redbone Surnames 06:22 – Inside Privateer Township: The Goins Family’s 1897 Story 08:16 – Life in the "Neutral Strip": America’s Lawless No Man’s Land 09:42 – Pirates & Outlaws: The Legend of Jean Lafitte in Louisiana 10:57 – The Genetic Riddle: Native American, European, & African Roots 12:43 – Where Does the Name "Redbone" Actually Come From? 13:37 – The Nash Family & Their Journey on the El Camino Real 14:59 – Redbone vs. Melungeon vs. Creole: What’s the Difference? ✅Join me OFF of Youtube   / nytn   💚💚Get you $50 cash back @ Rakuten www.rakuten.com/r/DANIEL9771 ☕Send me a coffee!: https://ko-fi.com/nytn13#linkModal www.nytonashville.com ► 👕 NYTN Merch: https://www.nytonashville.com ▶Download the first section FREE of my "Be a Good ancestor" course here: https://nytonashville.com/shoplola/be... FOLLOW ME 📸 ► YouTube: / @NYTN ► Facebook: /   / findinglolafilm   ► Website: https://www.nytonashville.com/ ► X: /   / imfindinglola   OTHER VIDEO PLAYLISTS ► Melungeon + Redbones:    • The Melungeon families of an Appalachian Town   ► "Who Counts as..." Series in the US:    • Is Meghan Markle Black or White?   ► Mexicans    • My Family's HIDDEN Louisiana Creole Heritage   ► Enslaved Ancestor stories    • My enslaved ancestor sued for his freedom ...   ► My family story of white passing :    • My Creole Family Passed for White   -------- Come join me on a new docu-series that explores identity, racial tensions in the South during the 20th century, and the unique experiences of those who historically called Louisiana home. My name is Danielle Romero, and all my life, I have romanticized Louisiana. Growing up in New York, it represented a place where I could step back the sepia-toned life of my great grandmother, Lola Perot, who died before I was born. Now, it was time to go back to Louisiana--although I had no idea what the truth would be or what questions to ask---who was Lola really? Who were we? *Amazon links are affiliate links. If buy something through these links, we may earn affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting this project!