Melungeon

Melungeon ( mə-LUN-jən) (sometimes also spelled Malungean, Melangean, Melungean, Melungin) was a slur historically applied to individuals and families of mixed-race ancestry with roots in colonial Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina who were primarily descended from black and white settlers. In the late 20th century, the term was reclaimed by descendants of these families, especially in southern Appalachia. Despite this mixed heritage, most Melungeons passed as white or were considered white by their predominately European-descended communities. Due to the binary nature of race in the United States, free people of color could be described as white, black, or mulatto regardless of their exact genetic makeup. This resulted in families being split along racial lines; those of more European appearance and ancestry assimilated into the wider white population, while those with predominately African features and ancestry assimilated into the black population. Many groups have historically been referred to as Melungeon, including the Melungeons of Newman's Ridge, the Lumbee, the Chestnut Ridge people, and the Carmel Melungeons. Some modern researchers write that early Atlantic Creole slaves were one of the precursor populations to these groups. Many creoles, once in British America, were able to obtain their freedom and many married into local white families. Despite often being able to pass as white people, Melungeons were affected by the one-drop rule. The one-drop rule either caused, or had the potential to cause, many Melungeons to be labeled as non-white. Some Melungeons who were labeled as non-white were sterilized by state governments, most notably in Virginia.