Photo Credit: Nitashia Johnson

About Me

Olivia's work focuses on authentic, creative engagements with Black history, memory, and archives. She has received fellowships and support from The Watering Hole, the Martha's Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing, and the Arts & Science Council. She is currently serving as Charlotte Lit's 2025 GoodLit Poetry Fellow and previously served as a 2025 Goodyear Arts Artist-in-Residence.

In 2013, she developed an online archive of historical photos from her Franklin, North Carolina line. She is also the creator of "Digital Black History," a directory of digital Black History projects.

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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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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

Digital Black History

Make your research easier

Created in 2019, Digital Black History is a free online searchable listing of digital projects that centers the experiences and perspectives of African Americans. The project has been featured on FamilySearch, The New York Times, and more.

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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."

In 2022, I shared my family history research and work on Digital Black History with The New York Times.