Melungeon Portraits

At a time when concepts of racial and ethnic identity increasingly define how we see ourselves and others, the ancestry of Melungeons—a Central Appalachian multi-racial group believed to be of Native American, African and European origins—remains controversial. Who is Melungeon, how do we know and what does that mean? In a series of interviews with individuals who claim Melungeon heritage, the author finds common threads that point to shared history, appearance and values, and explores how we decide who we are and what kind of proof we need to do so.

Tammy Stachowicz is a university professor living in Whitehall Michigan. Granddaughter of a coal miner from Middlesboro Kentucky, she has spent considerable time researching family stories and innuendo and applying academic theories to her discoveries.

Tamara L. Stachowicz

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages:
Bibliographic Info: ca. 30 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2018
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6979-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-3163-9
Imprint: McFarland
Series: Contributions to Southern Appalachian Studies

Acknowledgments viii
Preface 1
Introduction 3
1 • Literature and Research Review 25
2 • Portraiture as Research Methodology 45
3 • Gibson Portraits 55
4 • Johnson Portraits 98
5 • Other Portraits 141
6 • What Does This Tell Us? 165
7 • Implications for Activism 187
Chapter Notes 195
Bibliography 201
Index 207

“A sound theoretical exploration”—The Journal of Southern History