The Melungeons were a mixed ethnic group with European, African, and North American Indigenous ancestry. Some Melungeon descendants also report trace genetic clues from populations such as Turkish/Middle Eastern, Roma, Berber, Caribbean, Southeast Asian, Sephardic Jewish, and Central and South American Indigenous. Melungeons lived and migrated between Western North Carolina, East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Eastern Kentucky, in and around the Cumberland Gap region of Appalachia. You may notice in census records that some of our Melungeon ancestors were recorded as different races throughout the years (known as crossing the color line), with changes typically happening after relocation. Organizations such as the Melungeon Heritage Association and Vardy Community Historical Society actively work to preserve and share information on Melungeon and mixed ancestry heritage and history.