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MAY 30, 2000

Controversy surrounds the ethnic identity of a people in the Appalachian Mountains who identify themselves as Melungeon. Most agree they are a mixture of Indian, African, and European heritage. Melungeon arose as a derogatory term to describe these racially mixed residents in Virginia bordering the Kentucky and Tennessee borders.

Leaders of the Melungeon Movement claim direct ties to Turkish, Moor, and other Meditteranean explorers who intermarried with Indian women in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Critics believe the link is unsupported.

Get the Story:
Beneath Myth, Melungeons Find Roots of Opression (The Washington Post 5/30)

Relevant Links:
Links and info at the Melungeon Resource Page