Photo Credit: Nitashia Johnson

About Me

Olivia has been researching her own family lines for over a decade. Her work focuses on authentic, creative engagements with Black history, memory, and archives. She aims to make Black family history research more accessible.

In 2013, she developed an online archive of historical photos from her Franklin, North Carolina line. She has also launched "Digital Black History", a directory of Black History projects and "Unlock the Records, a guide that helps one research African American ancestors.

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An assortment of documents from my personal collection. Photo Credit: Nitashia Johnson for The New York Times Photo Credit: Nitashia Johnson

Descendants Trace Histories Linked by Slavery

"There is a perseverance and resilience from my ancestors to say that slavery doesn't define us and what we do."

I recently shared my family history research and work on Digital Black History with The New York Times.

Franklin Memories

Heritage: Franklin Memories

A digital communal repository

Franklin Memories explores African American life in Franklin, North Carolina and its surrounds through my ancestors' experiences. On the website, I share stories, photographs, insights into my research journey, and more.

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Digital Black History

Poetry

In my writing, I dissect the lineage of expectation, re-imagine ancestral memory, and measure the contours of legacy. And sometimes, I find some unexpected detours.

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Digital Black History

Digital Black History Tools

Make your research easier

A few years back, I began creating free digital tools to help Black families research their history more easily. There is a noticeable lack in the amount of genealogy tools for Black family historians and genealogists. I center Black families by providing them with the resources and expertise to share their ancestral stories.

The Tools