*Guest Lecturer and Historian Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs establishes the More Than a Fraction Foundation with a mission to expand research and education on the history, life, culture, and experiences of “involuntary migrated” Africans in America and African-Americans, before the Civil War and a decade after under the mantle “from separation to reunification.” The Foundation seeks to do this by approaching the subject from an “Africans in America” and African-American centric view, promoting new angles of research from innovative lenses and focal points. The More Than a Fraction Foundation’s initial focus is on those within and connected to the Appalachian region.
“More Than a Fraction” is also the title of a creative non-fiction book published by Dr. Moseley-Hobbs in 2017, after she researched into her African-American heritage and her ancestors – the Fractions. The documented records led her to the Smithfield plantation in Virginia where she learned her people, the Fractions, are part of the history of Virginia Tech University. The Foundation’s partners in upcoming projects include Virginia Tech University, Historic Smithfield Museum, and the Virginia Governor’s Executive Mansion. Through its website at www.MoreThanaFraction.org, supporters can get more information, sign up for the monthly newsletter, and find ways to donate to support the Foundation’s current ad upcoming projects.
Requests for Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs to present her research into the Fraction family, who were involuntarily migrated to America, and various other enslaved groups living on the Smithfield and Solitude plantations in Virginia have been steady. She also offers, mainly for museums, a Traveling African Artifacts Exhibit. During that presentation she explains the history and uses for various Africans artifacts and show how some are still used today, and a lot have been woven into the culture of America. In her work, Dr. Moseley-Hobbs also explores reconciliation, and assist with the interpretation of Africa American history by finding and using resources that provide innovative point of views.
Dr. Moseley-Hobbs recently gave a guest lecture for the Civil War Studies Center at Virginia Tech University via Zoom and spoke at a panel at Historic Smithfield Museum on America’s denial of its horrible history. She has spoken at public libraries, museums, cultural centers, and universities.
One upcoming project of the More Than a Fraction Foundation is to memorialize the Merry Tree located on the grounds of the Historic Smithfield Museum, where for approximately 250 years it served as the meeting space for various groups of people in the area from the 18th Century to present day. The event is slated for October 6, 2021 and will offer historical documented research and entertainment related to the 18th and early 19th Century eras that include, aside from Dr. Kerri Moseley-Hobbs’ presentation of her historical finds, the Virginia State University Gospel Choir performing traditional and Spiritual songs of the Africa Methodist Episcopal Church; West African dance performances; West African drumming performances; the Wake Forrest Community with historical information on the West African culture and the transatlantic slave trade and the emancipation; Historic Smithfield Museum with the history of the Preston family, who owned the plantations that were eventually donated to form Virginia Tech University, and on those Europeans who colonized the area; a Virginia Tech professor with the history of the Merry Tree, and a presentation by the American Indian and Indigenous Community Center on this history and culture of the American Indian and Indigenous community in the area of the Merry Tree.
Log onto www.MoreThanaFraction.org and browse through the platform to see how you can help document the African-American heritage and culture in America.
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Freelance Associates
Contact: Eunice Moseley
Long Beach, CA 90807
Off: (562) 424-3836
E-mail: [email protected]
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