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The Graysville Melungeons: A Tri-Racial People in Lower East Tennessee
Resource ID: 10316
Type: journal article, article
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- UPDATED: 6.29.2025
- Melungeons
- tri-racial
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publication:
DOI:
date:
1.21.1979
pages:
notes:
. . .
abstract:
Located approximately 30 miles north of Chattanooga, the community of Graysville,
Tennessee contains one of the most stable Melungeon settlements in the state. Field
work in the community conducted in conjunction with archival research demonstrates
that the Melungeons, who now compose more than half of the local population, came
from Hamilton County durning the latter half of the nineteenth century. Census records
and other archival sources indicate that prior to coming to Hamilton County they
had lived in Virginia and North Carolina. In Graysville, the Melungeons strongly deny
their Black heritage and explain their genetic differences by claiming to have
Cherokee grandmothers. Many of the local Whites also claim Cherokee ancestry and
apper to accept the Melungeon claim. The racist discrimination common in Hancock
County and in other Melungeon communities is absent in Graysville. Here, the
Melungeons interact in all phases of community life, and exogamy with local Whites is
common practice.- Goins- and the term "Melungeon" is not used by the people or by
their neighbors. Recent field observations of the Graysville Melungeons differ in no
way from that of any other small southern Appalachian community.
Tennessee contains one of the most stable Melungeon settlements in the state. Field
work in the community conducted in conjunction with archival research demonstrates
that the Melungeons, who now compose more than half of the local population, came
from Hamilton County durning the latter half of the nineteenth century. Census records
and other archival sources indicate that prior to coming to Hamilton County they
had lived in Virginia and North Carolina. In Graysville, the Melungeons strongly deny
their Black heritage and explain their genetic differences by claiming to have
Cherokee grandmothers. Many of the local Whites also claim Cherokee ancestry and
apper to accept the Melungeon claim. The racist discrimination common in Hancock
County and in other Melungeon communities is absent in Graysville. Here, the
Melungeons interact in all phases of community life, and exogamy with local Whites is
common practice.- Goins- and the term "Melungeon" is not used by the people or by
their neighbors. Recent field observations of the Graysville Melungeons differ in no
way from that of any other small southern Appalachian community.
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