Executive Board Members
David A. Taylor
Founder/CEO
David A. Taylor
Founder/CEO
David Anthony Taylor is the Founder and CEO of Black Pearls of Genealogy and the 2025 James Dent Walker Awardee of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS). He is a member of the Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage, an alumnus and moderator of the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI), and a recognized speaker at national conferences, universities, and leading genealogy platforms.
- Email:dtaylor@thebpog.org
Terry Burks
Vice President
Terry Burks
Vice President
Terry Lynne Burks is a genealogist with a strong commitment to preserving family histories and supporting community-based research. She serves as Vice President of Black Pearls of Genealogy, helping guide operations, strengthen collaboration, and advance the organization’s mission.
- Email:tburks@thebpog.org
Codia Collier
Treasurer
Codia Collier
Treasurer
Codia Collier supports Black Pearls of Genealogy as Treasurer, overseeing financial operations with accuracy and accountability. She plays a key role in budgeting, reporting, and ensuring the organization’s financial stability to support its mission and ongoing projects.
Denise Jarrett
Secretary
Denise Jarrett
Secretary
Denise Jarrett serves as Secretary of Black Pearls of Genealogy, maintaining records and ensuring clear communication across board activities. She is a WikiTree USBH Co-Project Leader and host of the WikiTree #SaturdayRoundup, where she shares genealogical insights and engages audiences in family history research.
- Email:djarrett@thebpog.org
Board of Directors
Kelley Kellis
Non-Profit Advisor/Grant Chair
Kelley Kellis
Non-Profit Advisor/Grant Chair
Kelley Kellis provides strategic guidance in nonprofit development, organizational growth, and program sustainability. She leads grant research and funding efforts, helping secure resources that support the mission and long-term impact of Black Pearls of Genealogy.
- Email:kkellis@thebpog.org
Timur Davis
Governance Committee Chair
Timur Davis
Governance Committee Chair
Timur Al'Basil Davis is an American scholar, library professional, filmmaker, media producer, historian, and cultural documentarian whose work bridges urban culture, education, genealogy, African American historical preservation, and independent media studies. Recognized for his interdisciplinary scholarship and cultural advocacy, Davis has dedicated his career to documenting the historical experiences, artistic movements, and intellectual traditions of African American and urban communities.
Davis earned advanced academic credentials in multiple disciplines, including a Doctorate in Metaphysics, a Master of Library and Information Science, a Master’s degree in Government Studies, and a Master’s degree in Administrative Science. His academic training has informed his work as a researcher, archivist, educator, independent publisher, and cultural preservationist.
As an interviewer and editorial contributor for DuFunk Magazine, Davis has developed and conducted interviews with influential figures connected to Hip-Hop culture, graffiti art, metaphysics, social activism, martial arts, genealogy, and Black historical studies. Through these efforts, he has helped preserve oral histories and highlight the contributions of artists, scholars, and community leaders whose stories are often overlooked in mainstream historical narratives.
Davis is also known for his involvement in documentary filmmaking and independent media production through DuFunk Media Group. His documentary and film projects explore themes of race, justice, spirituality, social identity, cultural memory, and African American life. Among the documentary projects associated with his work are The Presumption of Guilt: Race, Class, and Crime in America, inspired by the work of Charles Ogletree; Maya Angelou: Reflections of a Blessed Soul, honoring the literary and cultural legacy of Maya Angelou; and Two Sons of Georgia, along with numerous other independent documentary and cultural film productions.
In the field of genealogy and Black historical research, Davis has emphasized the importance of archival preservation, oral history, and African diasporic heritage. His academic and literary interests include urban sociology, visual culture, metaphysical philosophy, African American studies, and the evolution of graffiti as both an artistic movement and a social phenomenon in urban America.
One of Davis’s major academic works is his dissertation, Graffiti and the Dynamic Sphere: The Evolution, Metaphysics, and Urban Group Counseling of Style Writers in Urban America (1970–2024), an interdisciplinary study examining graffiti culture through historical, sociological, psychological, and metaphysical frameworks.
Through his scholarship, filmmaking, journalism, and cultural preservation efforts, Davis continues to contribute to the documentation of urban history, independent Black media, and the preservation of cultural memory for future generations.
- Email:tdavis@thebpog.org
Sheree Williams
Community Outreach Chair
Sheree Williams
Community Outreach Chair
Sheree Williams leads community outreach efforts, building connections that strengthen engagement and expand the organization’s reach. She focuses on faith-based outreach, local history engagement, and community partnerships that connect people to the mission and impact of Black Pearls of Genealogy.
- Email:swilliams@thebpog.org
Shannon Christmas
Genealogical Research Chair
Shannon Christmas
Genealogical Research Chair
Shannon Christmas is a genealogist and
the creator of Inclusive Ancestry, a Google Chrome extension designed to expand
historical representation in family research. He leads genealogical initiatives and supports the development of inclusive tools and resources that strengthen research and historical accuracy across the organization.
- Email:schristmas@thebpog.org