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The Kings Mountain Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) met on Thursday, April 9, 2026, in the Depot Room of the Food City located at 920 North State of Franklin Road, Johnson City, Tennessee.
Following a meal and regular business meeting, members were treated to a presentation by author and historian Wayne Winkler. Winkler, a retired manager at ETSU public radio station WETS-FM in Johnson City and a former president of the Melungeon Heritage Association, spoke on the topic of "Melungeons in Early America." He is the author of Walk Toward the Sunset: The Melungeons of Appalachia (Mercer University Press, 2004) and the novel Beyond the Sunset: the Melungeon Outdoor Drama 1969-1976, released in 2019.
Winkler traced the origins of the Melungeon people, noting that they appeared in the Appalachian region at roughly the same time as the earliest European settlers. He described the Melungeons as a mixed-heritage people, descended from free African slaves, former indentured servants, Native Americans, and others who lived on the margins of colonial society. These groups formed close-knit communities, began to intermarry, and over time faced considerable discrimination. The Saponi tribe of the Piedmont region of North Carolina and Virginia, Winkler noted, is the Native American group most commonly associated with the Melungeon people.
Winkler shared the colorful story of Mahalia Mullins, a well-known Melungeon figure from the Newman's Ridge area of Hancock County, Tennessee, who gained notoriety as a bootlegger. He also touched on Melungeon cultural traditions, noting that their customs are largely similar to those of other Southern Appalachian peoples, with the notable exception of the practice of building grave shelters — a tradition not widely seen in northeast Tennessee but found in other areas. He cautioned that a great deal of misinformation and folklore surrounds the Melungeon people, and encouraged those interested to seek out reliable sources.
During a Q&A session, Winkler addressed the origin of the word "Melungeon," offering several possible explanations, including the theory that it may derive from the French word mélange, meaning "mixture" — a fitting description of the people it came to identify.
Following the presentation, Chapter President Rob Richmond presented Winkler with a Certificate of Appreciation from the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Photo captions:
Photo 1: Wayne Winkler addresses members of the Kings Mountain Chapter SAR during his presentation, "Melungeons in Early America," on April 9, 2026.
Photo 2: Chapter President Rob Richmond (left) presents Wayne Winkler with a Certificate of Appreciation following his presentation to the Kings Mountain Chapter SAR, April 9, 2026.
Following a meal and regular business meeting, members were treated to a presentation by author and historian Wayne Winkler. Winkler, a retired manager at ETSU public radio station WETS-FM in Johnson City and a former president of the Melungeon Heritage Association, spoke on the topic of "Melungeons in Early America." He is the author of Walk Toward the Sunset: The Melungeons of Appalachia (Mercer University Press, 2004) and the novel Beyond the Sunset: the Melungeon Outdoor Drama 1969-1976, released in 2019.
Winkler traced the origins of the Melungeon people, noting that they appeared in the Appalachian region at roughly the same time as the earliest European settlers. He described the Melungeons as a mixed-heritage people, descended from free African slaves, former indentured servants, Native Americans, and others who lived on the margins of colonial society. These groups formed close-knit communities, began to intermarry, and over time faced considerable discrimination. The Saponi tribe of the Piedmont region of North Carolina and Virginia, Winkler noted, is the Native American group most commonly associated with the Melungeon people.
Winkler shared the colorful story of Mahalia Mullins, a well-known Melungeon figure from the Newman's Ridge area of Hancock County, Tennessee, who gained notoriety as a bootlegger. He also touched on Melungeon cultural traditions, noting that their customs are largely similar to those of other Southern Appalachian peoples, with the notable exception of the practice of building grave shelters — a tradition not widely seen in northeast Tennessee but found in other areas. He cautioned that a great deal of misinformation and folklore surrounds the Melungeon people, and encouraged those interested to seek out reliable sources.
During a Q&A session, Winkler addressed the origin of the word "Melungeon," offering several possible explanations, including the theory that it may derive from the French word mélange, meaning "mixture" — a fitting description of the people it came to identify.
Following the presentation, Chapter President Rob Richmond presented Winkler with a Certificate of Appreciation from the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Photo captions:
Photo 1: Wayne Winkler addresses members of the Kings Mountain Chapter SAR during his presentation, "Melungeons in Early America," on April 9, 2026.
Photo 2: Chapter President Rob Richmond (left) presents Wayne Winkler with a Certificate of Appreciation following his presentation to the Kings Mountain Chapter SAR, April 9, 2026.
