History Makers Workshop - Guest Speaker Series

Tonight we will hear from Frederick and Kimberly, co-producers of the new documentary, Duality: A Collection of Afro Indigenous Perspectives. This documentary is a collection of experiences by individuals who identify as Afro Indigenous from various tribes across the United States. The film will explore the history of the two ethnic groups individually and as a collective via the institution of slavery, food ways, dance, dress, spirituality, legal challenges, marginalization, resilience, state/federal recognition and much much more. The trajectory of the story will consist of various climactic points, most notable is the lack of tribal recognition of members who have African descent.

Featured Speakers:

Frederick Murphy is the founder of History Before Us, LLC, a project centered on capturing, preserving, and advocating for influential history. He was raised in Clarksville, Tennessee and is a graduate of Tennessee State University.

His first film, the award-winning The American South as We Know It, explores the lives of survivors of Jim Crow—the courageous individuals who didn’t make the headlines.

His second documentary, The Other Side of the Coin: Race, Generations & Reconciliation, was released on September 2, 2020. A collection of experiences and thoughts addressing the complexities of race in America, the film asks, “How do we reconcile for the sake of future generations and humanity?”

Murphy's third installment Sweet Home Alabama: A Chief and his Protégé, will be released winter of 2021. Murphy has also directed educational films in collaboration with the N.C. Rice Festival, Black Indians NC, Saving Slave Houses, A1DAY1 Productions, Brunswick Arts Council and more.

Frederick is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor who finds joy in helping people achieve and retain an optimum level of functioning by focusing on their holistic health. He has a master’s degree in Transformative Leadership and serves on the board of the James K. Polk historic site in Pineville, North Carolina, the Slave Dwelling Project in Charleston, South Carolina and the Tennessee African American History Research Group located in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Kimberly M. Knight is originally from Eastern North Carolina and identifies as Afro Indigenous. She graduated with a Master of Social Work Degree from North Carolina Central University in May 2020. She is a 2020 North Carolina Central University 40 Under 40 Honoree. She obtained her Licensed Clinical Social Worker – Associate licensure and became a Certified Complicated Grief Treatment Facilitator from Columbia University School of Social Work.

She is the Founder and Editor of The Lux Blog NC. She is the Co-Founder of HIV Cure Research Day for the State of NC and Co-Founder of National Black HIV & AIDS Awareness Day for Wilson, NC. Currently, she is a member of the Western Wake Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Triangle Native American Society, National Association of Social Workers – NC Membership Committee, and Junior League of Raleigh. She is the Founder of the nonprofit 

organization, Black Indians NC and hosted the first powwow in North Carolina focused on African American and Native American people. She serves as a Community Advisory Member for the North Carolina Central University Native American & Indigenous Student Association. She serves as a support facilitator for the NC Commission of Indian Affairs and Haliwa-Saponi Tribe monthly “Healing Circles”. Currently, she is the Co-Director and Co-Producer of the upcoming documentary, “Duality: A Collection of Afro Indigenous Perspectives”.