Conversation so far:
Where did the term Melungeon start to be used?
Melungeon is a term traditionally applied to one of numerous tri-racial isolate groups of the Southeastern United States.
What were the classifications of the people in the Melungeon group?
During the 18th and early 19th centuries, census enumerators classified them as mulatto, other free, or as free persons of color. Sometimes they were listed as white,black or negro.

Question: What happened to the colonies
Self-contained rewrite: What happened to the colonies in regards to the the people from the Melungeon group?