melungeonmania!

I am totally fascinated by the mysteries of Melungeons, so I am psyched about this event:

What: Exhibition and Lecture on Melungeons: “Windows of the Past: Cultural Heritage of Vardy, Hancock County, TN”

When: Exhibition runs Feb 13 – March 26; Panel discussion on March 12 at 2:00

Who: Presented by the East Tennessee Historical Society, DruAnna Overbay Curator

Where: East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street

How: Open to the public, free of charge. Parking is available at the State Street Garage. For more information, please call 215-8824

(Knoxville, TN) The Melungeons, as they are known, have intrigued anthropologists, genealogists and scholars of every sort with their “mysterious” origins. As a people of distinct features and coloring, theories of these very early settlers abound. While their true origins may be hard to determine, the legacy of the Melungeons continues today. Due to the rugged nature of the land and the limited economic opportunities available, Melungeons maintained an isolated lifestyle that preserved their heritage. In 1899, the Northern Presbyterians established a mission and church in Newman's Ridge that became the source of community pride and provided education until the 1970s.

The East Tennessee Historical Society is pleased to present “Windows on the Past: The Cultural Heritage of Vardy, Hancock County, TN.” The exhibition features photographs illustrating Melungeon daily life in rural Hancock County for several decades in the early to mid-1900s. DruAnna Overbay, curator for the exhibit, is a direct descendant of Vardemon Collins, the early settler for whom Vardy is named and the recognized patriarch of the Newman’s Ridge Melungeons. She is author of a book based on the Vardy photographs, which includes her remembrances of growing up in this distinctive mountain community.

The exhibit will be held at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street (across from the Tennessee Theatre) from February 13 – March 26. Hours of the exhibit are Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5.
A lecture and panel discussion will be led by author and curator DruAnna Overbay on Sunday, March 12 at 2:00 p.m. at the ETHC. In addition to Ms. Overbay, the panel will include other former students at the Vardy-School: Margaret Nevels, R.C. Mullins, Charles Sizemore, W.C. Collins, and Dan Williams.

For more information on this program, please call the East Tennessee Historical Society at 215-8824