The History of...Melungeon -The missing tribe of Appalachia

[Music] when will I [Music] know when it is the mongans often referred to as appalaches lost tribe have long been a subject of mystery and Intrigue in the hills and hollers of the Appalachian Mountains this enigmatic group with their dark features and uncertain Origins has been the focus of much speculation leading to Legends myths and historical research the mungan story is one that intertwines with the complex history of race migration and identity in America particularly in the isolated Appalachian region the term mungan first appeared in court records in the late 1700s in areas that would

later become Tennessee and Virginia it was used as a derogatory term to describe a group of people who did not fit neatly into the racial categories of the time white black or Native American the mongans were often characterized by their dark skin European features and sometimes even blue or green eyes they were viewed with suspicion and faced social ostracism primarily because of their ambiguous racial background there are many theories about the origins of the mongans but none are definitive some early historians suggested that the mongans were descendants of Portuguese Sailors who were Shipwrecked on the

American coast and intermarried with Native Americans and Africans others posited that they were the remnants of the so-called lost colony of Rowan Oak the English settlers who disappeared mysteriously in the late 16th century another theory is that the mongans were descended from Turkish or moish slaves brought to the New World by the Spanish in the early colonial period one of the most widely accepted theories is that the mongans were of mixed ancestry possibly a blend of European settlers Native Americans and Africans as Colonial laws and racial codes became stricter many of these mixed Heritage people

moved into the remote Appalachian Mountains where they could live relatively isolated from the racial discrimination of the larger Society over Generations this isolation helped the mongans develop a distinct cultural identity though it remained deeply intertwined with questions about race and belonging by the early 1800s the mongans had established communities in the rugged appalachin region particularly in the areas of Hancock County Tennessee and Wise County Virginia these communities were often situated in remote difficult to access areas which allowed the mongans to maintain a degree of autonomy and separation from the broader Society life for the mongans

in Appalachia was tough the mountainous terrain made farming difficult and the isolation limited access to Goods services and education many Mangan families were poor living in simple log cabins and subsisting off the land through farming hunting and foraging they were often self-reliant crafting their own tools making their own clothes and practicing traditional herbal medicine despite their isolation the mongans maintained contact with neighboring communities trading goods and sometimes intermarrying with white or native American families however they were frequently subject to racial Prejudice because of their ambiguous racial identity mongans were sometimes classified as free persons of

color which restricted their rights and subjected them to the same discriminatory laws that applied to African-Americans for example they were sometimes denied the to vote own land or attend public schools the mungan identity became even more complicated in the 19th and early 20th centuries as racial segregation became more entrenched in the United States the rise of the one drop rule in southern states which classified anyone with any African ancestry as black further marginalized the mongans many mongan families sought to pass as white to avoid the social and legal penalties associated with being classified ified as

colored this often involved changing their names altering their physical appearance or denying their mongan Heritage altogether despite these pressures many mongans retained a strong sense of cultural identity their communities were known for their close-knit families traditional music and storytelling the mongans also had a unique linguistic Heritage blending English with older possibly Iberian and Native American elements some Scholars have suggested that the melan's language may have included traces of Portuguese or Spanish reflecting the theory of Iberian ancestry religious beliefs and practices also played an important role in mongan communities most mongans were Christian typically practicing Protestant

denominations such as Baptist or Methodist however some mongan traditions and practices may have been influenced by their diverse ancestry incorporating elements of Native American spirituality or African folk traditions for much of American History the mongans were largely ignored by mainstream Society their story relegated to local folklore and Regional history however in the mid 20th century interest in the mongans began to grow particularly among anthropologists historians and genealogists one of the earliest and most influential studies of the mongans was conducted by Dr Edward price in the 1950s who documented the the existence of mungan communities and

attempted to trace their origins in the 1990s renewed interest in the mongans coincided with the rise of DNA testing and genetic genealogy researchers began to use DNA analysis to investigate the origins of the mongans hoping to solve the mystery of their ancestry once and for all early genetic studies suggested that the mongans were indeed of mixed ancestry with European African and Native American genetic markers however the exact proportions of these ancestries varied widely among different mongan families reflecting the complexity of their Heritage the rediscovery of the mongans also led to a Resurgence of interest in

their cultural Traditions mungan descendants began to organize cultural festivals such as the annual mungan Heritage Association Gathering to celebrate their unique history and reconnect with their Roots these events have helped to revive Mangan ident and promote a greater understanding of their place in American history the mystery and Allure of the mongans have made them a popular subject in American folklore literature and media the mongans have been featured in novels documentaries and even songs often portrayed as a lost tribe with a mysterious and exotic past however this portrayal has sometimes romanticized or distorted their history obscuring

the real challenges and discrimination that mongans face one of the most well-known Works about the mongans is the mongans the resurrection of a proud people by en brand Kennedy published in 1994 Kennedy a mungan descendant sought to reclaim and celebrate his Heritage arguing that the mongans were a proud and resilient people who had been unjustly marginalized his book helped to bring the story of the mongans to a wider audience and sparked a new wave of interest in their history the legacy of the m continues to resonate today particularly in the Appalachian region their story reflects

the complex and often painful history of race in America as well as the ways in which marginalized communities have struggled to maintain their identities in the face of discrimination the mangan's ability to survive and adapt over centuries is a testament to their resilience and resourcefulness while the mystery of the mongan origins may never be fully solved their story remains an important part of the broad Narrative of American history as descendants continue to explore their Heritage and celebrate their unique identity the mongans will remain a symbol of the rich cultural diversity that has shaped Appalachia and

the United States as a whole I hope you enjoyed this episode and I look forward to seeing you again very soon [Music]