Searching for the African Ancestors: Mariah Malinka

Mariah Malinka

Figure 80: Mariah Malinka

Mariah Malinka was one of the first persons buried in the cemetery near these cabins. She was the only person who left a specific bit of evidence about where her ancestors might have lived in Africa. Her name suggests that she may have been a descendant of the MALINKE, an ethnic group that played a role in the development of Mali, a powerful West African kingdom that was widely respected for its efficient government, its scholars, and its wealth. (Map by Dinah Bervin Kerkseick.)

Amelia Wallace Vernon, African Americans at Mars Bluff, South Carolina (Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University, 1993. Reprint. Columbia: University of South Carolina, 1995), p.15-16.