Internet ancestry

Yesterday over dinner, the Old Man asked me if I'd ever heard of the "Melungeons". I hadn't. But after reading the Wikipedia article, I'm wondering how I avoided stumbling over them before. The reason they popped up in his novel is apparently because of some half-baked theory about them being Turkish prisoners rescued by Drake and dropped off in Virginia. The truth is probably much more prosaic: They were mixed-raced people who migrated rather than face discrimination.

And they of course weren't the only ones. There are several similar groups in the eastern United States, some of which who have ultimately gained recognition as Indian bands or nations. Naturally, the origins of many of these are obscure, since until recently having non-white ancestors was not something anyone in this country bragged about. One more entry into the "more things in heaven and earth" column.