2025 Black History Month at OBCC

Schedule & Speaker Bios

Deyane Moses

Deyane Moses is the Director of Programs and Partnerships at AFRO Charities, Inc. She is passionate about Black history and archives,” and has been called a “GameChanger,” for skillfully, her archival research exposed “the racist history of Maryland Institute College of Art,” her alma mater.  Currently, at AFRO Charities, Inc. she works to preserve and make accessible the archives of the historic AFRO American Newspapers. 


A link to the AFRO Charities presentation can be found here.

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Kenyatta Gilbert

The Rev. Dr. Kenyatta Gilbert, a professor of homiletics at Howard University School of Divinity, is a nationally recognized authority on African American preaching. A Baylor University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in political science (1996), he continued his theological education at Princeton Theological Seminary, earning both an M.Div. and a Ph.D. in practical theology (homiletics).


Dr. Gilbert, an ordained Baptist minister, has served congregations across Texas, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Kenya. Since joining Howard University in 2006, he has become a prolific writer and sought-after voice on Black preaching, civil rights, and social justice. His extensive work includes numerous sermons, classroom lectures, and four published books.


You can find more information regarding Dr. Gilbert’s work by visiting the Preaching Project.


https://thepreachingproject.org/biography/


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Rodney Reynolds

American Legacy Network President Rodney J. Reynolds has been a pioneer in the publishing industry for nearly 45 years, leading the charge in keeping us informed on black history in America. To this end, Rodney strives to expand and enhance awareness of African-American history and culture while telling the stories of African-American life in America.


Rodney created the American Legacy brand in 1995 as a magazine in partnership with Forbes, Inc. Over the 15-year partnership, the magazine circulated over 2 million copies. Although the publishing industry has constantly changed its approach, trailblazers like Mr. Reynolds offer the key to that change. In his 42 years of experience, he has always focused on growing the business, securing its sustainable future, and developing relevant content to preserve black history in America.


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Cheryl LaRoche

Cheryl Janifer LaRoche specializes in interdisciplinary research, blending history, geography, archaeology, material culture, historic preservation, and cultural landscapes. Her work creates a deeper understanding of the African American experience, focusing on pre-Civil War Black communities, their institutions, and the Underground Railroad. She has explored historic sites from New Hampshire to Missouri and Canada.


Dr. LaRoche earned her Ph.D. in American Studies with a concentration in Archaeology and African American History from the University of Maryland, College Park. Institutions such as the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Park Service, the African Burial Ground Project, and numerous museums and historic sites have sought her expertise.


The Society for Historical Archaeology awarded her the John L. Cotter Award for her groundbreaking contributions to African American history through historical archaeology. Her book Free Black Communities and the Underground Railroad: The Geography of Resistance showcases her multidisciplinary approach.


Dr. LaRoche’s latest book is Apostle of Liberation: AME Bishop Paul Quinn and the Underground Railroad.


Pre Order Now


You can find more information about Dr. LaRoche by visiting her website.

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Theme:  Learning from the Past; Preparing for the Future (Reclaiming Our Narratives)  


 The archival record shows what African Americans have done in “impossible situations.” We had faith in God, we believed, we refused to accept a stagnant state; we worked hard, we survived. We took back our stories from those who had laid claim to them; we wrenched them from their lips and their pens and dusted them off when they were covered with dirt; we made a point of including everyone whose voice had been forgotten and whose perspectives had been ignored.


The archival record is written in print; captured in images; told in oral stories. The narratives in this record are rooted in power and faith and are pointed toward hope and possibilities. We at OBCC – a Bible-based community in community with our community – honor the archival record and are committed to assuring that it survives and comes alive. 


In 2025, we embrace it with hope.


We invite you to view our  African American History and Culture Ministry page.