Three community preservationists have been selected for the 2025 African American Fellows Program at Preservation Virginia, an initiative designed to support the study and protection of African American historic sites across the state.

Part of the “Voices Remembered” initiative, the fellowship is now in its third year. The selected fellows will spend the summer working with Preservation Virginia staff, engaging with mentors, and continuing research projects in their own communities.

The program, which launched in 2021, is guided by an advisory committee of Black leaders and scholars and funded by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.

“Each year, it is more and more difficult to make the selection of summer scholars; these three participants in the third cohort were chosen because of their previous partnerships with Preservation Virginia and overwhelming commitment to their communities,” said Lisa Winn Bryan, community outreach manager at Preservation Virginia.

Karice Luck-Brimmer, from Pittsylvania County, brings more than two decades of experience as a genealogist and public historian, focusing on African American communities in the Dan River region.

She has served on the Virginia Board of Historic Resources and has been featured in The Washington Post, People magazine and 60 Minutes. Her fellowship work will focus on preserving sacred burial grounds, historic Black churches and oral traditions in Pittsylvania County, building on efforts such as the Danville Research Center for African American History and Culture.

Another fellow is Sheila K. Wilson Elliott, of Capon, a tribal historian for the Nottoway Indian Tribe of Virginia with more than 40 years of experience in pharmacy services. She currently chairs the tribe’s nonprofit arm and has led its genealogy committee. Her research will explore the intertwined histories of Nottoway Native Americans and African Americans, tracing lineages and highlighting the cultural survival shared between the groups.

The third fellow, Marlo Green, of Petersburg, is a certified public accountant and director of financial operations at Virginia State University who discovered the history of Pocahontas Island in 2021. Inspired by the island’s rich cultural heritage, she is researching the historic Jarratt House as part of her fellowship. She said the opportunity allows her to contribute to preserving an important part of Petersburg’s history. 

Voices Remembered elevates overlooked Black voices and ensure their stories are preserved and connected to contemporary communities. Preservation Virginia is a nonprofit organization that promotes stewardship of historic places across the commonwealth through advocacy, education and revitalization efforts.

More information is available at preservationvirginia.org.