by Megan Valandingham
Infographic created by Megan Valandingham in Piktochart.
For anyone willing to dive deep into the topic of race, ethnicity, and diversity, then the month of February, Black History Month, or Ethnic Equality Month, is the time to celebrate and. embrace the different backgrounds and traditions that make everyone unique. From volunteering and hosting events to educating oneself with workshops, there are many ways the majority can support and celebrate the minority of the United States.
While celebrating Ethnic Equality, it is important to remember a near-forgotten multiracial group from United States history. Through intermarriage, Central Europeans, Sub-Saharan Africans, and Native American Groups like the Cherokee created The Melungeon community which lived in Central Appalachia. At least one percent of the American population is descended from Melungeon people.
Newman's Ridge of Tennessee in Hawkins County is the center of the Melungeon community and expands into Lee, Scott, and Wise counties of Southeast Virginia. While the term, "Melungeon," was at first a derogatory term used by white America against these Appalachian people, this group now bears the name proudly to express their racial identity and has built support through groups like the Melungeon Heritage Association.
One Melungeon family is the Goins Family of Graysville, Tennessee. Notice a difference in appearance between each family member? The most common feature of these people was dark skin and hair with blue, or lighter, eyes. But there is one defining feature that is commonly found in the Melungeon People, the Melungeon Bump, a bump that is located on the back of the head just above the neck. Also, did you know that it is believed President Abraham Lincoln was descended from the Melungeon community on his mother's side? His mother's, Nancy Hanks, family had a connection to the Melungeon community in Springfield. There are many theories about Lincoln's ancestry, though there is little evidence to prove if this is true or not, according to Denis Cummings.
According to the Tennessee Encyclopedia, in their move from the East Coast into the Hancock-Hawkins County area of Tennessee, one family traces their movement through genetics land grants, and military services between 1790 and 1810. Forty-nine percent of the Melungeon people were Christians, most were Baptists in churches accepting of minority races.
On July 4, 1884, the public record called the Indian Census Rolls was an Act that called for all public records of Native Americans on reservations should submit annual censuses. Between the years 1885 to 1940, over 692 census rolls were turned in for the Indian Census Rolls.
The Name Census is a public record that gives a long list of traits and histories of the Melungeon People. While it does not list every surname, this record lists some common Melungeon surnames like "Bowlin, Bunch, Collins, Denham, Epps, Evans, Fields, Goins, Gibson, Mullins, Reeves, Williams, and more. Forty percent of men, women, and children
identify racially as Melungeon.
These "mysterious people" are not a race lost to time but were unfortunately victims of racist and classist rhetoric of the times from white people, not from Appalachia. They are remembered through various records, images, and their descendants today. Thus, should be remembered during a month of Ethnic Equality.
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