Melungeons

Melungeons

This article relates to The Trojan War Museum

In Ayşe Papatya Bucak's The Trojan War Museum, the main character of one of the stories, "Mysteries of the Mountain South," learns that her racial history is more complicated than she previously thought when her grandmother explains that she has a "Melungeon" great-grandparent. Melungeon is a term historically used to describe a "tri-racial" group in the Appalachian states of Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky with mixed ancestry from Europeans, Native Americans and African Americans. The term is believed to have come from the French word mélange, meaning "to mix."

The term Melungeon was common in the 19th and 20th centuries. Melungeons living in the Appalachian states in 19th century were largely accepted in society, and enjoyed the same liberties as white citizens, such as the right to own property and vote. However, after the Civil War, during the height of Jim Crow race hysteria, Melungeons were often the victims of discrimination across the nation. For example, Virginia passed the Racial Integrity Act in 1924, which prohibited interracial marriage and categorized anyone with "one drop" of non-white blood as Black for the purposes of segregation. This caused the Melungeon people to be socially ostracized, as they were considered "tainted" by their African ancestry, as well as subjected to the legal restrictions of Jim Crow legislation.

Because of this association, the word Melungeon took on a derogatory meaning in the early and mid 20th century. During this time, the term was generally only used by non-Melungeons, while those who actually belonged to this group frequently stretched the truth about their ancestry. A Melungeon woman interviewed by USA Today recalls being told by her mother's family that they were Portuguese. In "Mysteries of the Mountain South," the protagonist's grandmother recalls being told she was Turkish. Writing in 1979, anthropologist E. Raymond Evans explains: "In Graysville [Tennessee], the Melungeons strongly deny their Black heritage and explain their genetic differences by claiming to have had Cherokee grandmothers."

In the 1960s, the connotation of the term changed as further anthropological study and cultural developments created more interest in the unique ethnic heritage of this group. This shift is partly attributed to the popularity of the play Walk Toward Sunset written by playwright Kermit Hunter and performed in Sneedville, Tennessee frequently from 1969-1975. The play depicted Melungeons in a positive light, exploring their role in the Revolutionary War and the settlement of Eastern Tennessee. Of course, the 1960s-70s also brought gains in civil rights for African Americans and other minorities, further diminishing the stigma and allowing Melungeon people to take more pride in their identity.

The advent of the internet, DNA testing and genealogical websites have caused interest in Melungeon ancestry to further flourish. Organizations like the Melungeon Heritage Association are actively involved in preserving the history and culture of this ancestral group, and providing information to individuals hoping to learn more about their lineage.

Photo of a Melungeon family, courtesy of Family Search

Filed under People, Eras & Events

This "beyond the book article" relates to The Trojan War Museum. It originally ran in August 2019 and has been updated for the August 2020 paperback edition. Go to magazine.