Melungeons Museum

[lee]

The last time I went to the Melungeons Museum in Vardy, Tn. (3 years ago) the caretaker said
the Museum was only open on Thursdays.  So since this was Thursday we decided to go to the
Museum.  Well the hours have changed (see photo).  We will keep trying until we find it open.
Located on Vardy Rd.  Off Rt-63 between Sneedville and Harrogate.
       
       
       
       

[Big IV]

It is odd that you should mention the Vardy Valley group.  I went to a lecture about Melungeons this summer. 

Mostly, the presentation was good. The information about Vardy Valley was good. At the end the presenter fell into some speculation and conjuncture that I didn't appreciate, but that is part of the turmoil in scholarship.

Vardy Valley is an interesting place. I hadn't heard of it before.

The forced sterilization was an interesting point.

I might just have to get up that way.

[Hellcat]

Interesting. Never heard of that. What does the DNA say?

[sugerbear]

great reading, spent about an hour googling and reading.

[X Ring]

I remember seeing a show on the History Channel about them.  They're supposed to be scattered all through the southern Appalachian Mts.  I remember they said Elvis was supposed to a member also.

[Big IV]

Sounds like creative justification. They have very little proof to say that Elvis was a member. Wasn't his hair naturally brown and dyed black?

Also don't like it when discussing the Melungeons they say things like, "very few african americans are in the appalachain mountains..." Brooker T. Washington. Henry Louis Gates Jr (who coined the phrase afro-lachain to explain being black from the apalachains) and Pittsburgh...sounds like a few or more.


The Melungeons, despite a traditionally low education level, have tried to establish an internet presence for communication and support to keep the scattered community alive. So it is interesting to look at.

I hadn't thought about going to the museum in Vardy, but I think I should try to work that in to the schedule.