The Bicentennial Celebrations of 1976 led me to a lifelong interest in the Eighteenth Century, and a search for the hidden figures and untold stories — including that of my Black and Native American ancestors in rural North Carolina and Florida.

I tried to uncover their story while completing degrees at elite universities – an undergraduate degree in History from Harvard University, Masters Degree in Cultural Anthropology from Duke University, law degree from University of North Carolina, and a Masters in Library Science from Florida State University. I did not find them there, but I gained the skills that I use as a librarian and lawyer.

I eventually found them by looking at the archives differently, and by using the digital tools that did not exist back in 1976. I found four centuries of direct ancestors, and the stories of Black and Native American women who used the law to fight for freedom.

As a copyright librarian, I usually work behind the scenes of large cultural heritage institutions. Among my proudest achievements are projects that:

• Make hidden figures visible:Behind the Veil and Project Vox

• Make the 20th Century available to the present:H Lee Waters and SNCC Legacy Project

• Preserve the 21st Century for the future:Oral History and Scholarly Publishing

With the Buckhorn Archives Accelerator and Cowford Copyright Consulting, I provide this same expertise to individuals, organizations, and institutions of all sizes. As part of the larger community of practitioners in several fields, I have access to expertise beyond my own.

I know how to help you unlock your past by going to the archive; preserve your present life’s work; or ensure that in the future, your resources are used to support your priorities.

I have the tools you need to find your own answers. I look forward to using them for you.