Part 2/12:
The rigid racial hierarchies established during colonial America left little room for those who did not conform. People of mixed heritage were often stripped of basic rights such as voting, property ownership, and access to education. For the Mangans, survival necessitated a difficult decision: endure the oppressive conditions of lowland society or venture westward into the Appalachian wilderness. Many chose the latter, traveling to Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia to escape institutionalized oppression.