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Malaga Island

The Fate of the Mixed-Race Community
In 1911, the state of Maine decided to segregate the residents of Malaga Island throughout the state for the good of the state and humanity. In an official report by the state in 1911, residents were called paupers and squatters and their race and poor living conditions were noted. In 1912, the deeds to the island were transferred to the state of Maine to prevent any further settlement.

The eviction of the Malaga Island community coincided with the eugenics movement in the United States. The purpose of eugenics is to manipulate the human race by discouraging the reproduction of humans with undesirable or weaker traits. Interracial relationships could also be prohibited by law.

Slavery was abolished in Maine in 1738, but miscegenation laws remained until 1883. The state of Maine has a small population of African Americans that dates back to colonial times. Maine has a majority white population and historically, black residents have lived smaller communities. Since most African Americans live outside of Northern New England, the history of those living in Maine is not well documented, especially since their lives did not always mix with the white Americans living there.

The descendants of around fifty individuals once living in the insular community on Malaga Island became scattered around different towns and cities in Maine. Generations later, some of the descendants of the Malaga community were not aware of the displacement that their ancestors faced. Eight residents of Malaga Island, the Marks family and Annie Parker, were sent to the Maine School for the Feeble Minded and all but two remained there until their deaths. Other residents were forced to relocate without any alternatives and either established residency in nearby towns or lived in makeshift homes. The Tripp family lived on a houseboat near the island and Laura Tripp, the mother of two, did not survive the winter. The children of the Tripp family survived and started families on the mainland.

Following the eviction, the state of Maine tore down all structures on the island except for the schoolhouse, which was moved to nearby Louis Island. In recent years, with the development of online ancestral information and DNA testing, more people are discovering their connections to Malaga Island.