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Frederick Deshon Murphy
President
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?”
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 and the Slave Dwelling Project in Charleston, South Carolina.
TRACY JEPSON
Historian
As a public historian working in Middle Tennessee, Tracy Jepson continues her passion for both historical research and sharing meaningful social and cultural history with the community.
In hopes of continued national healing, Tracy seeks to help facilitate a full and comprehensive understanding of our country’s past. She has worked as a Historical Interpreter at a Tennessee Civil War historic site for 9 years and earned her master’s in history from The University of Memphis.
Tracy has recently focused her research upon the United States Colored Troops recruited and stationed in Middle Tennessee during the Civil War. She has also conducted extensive research about the freedmen community of New Providence, Tennessee.
DELTON WELLS
Social Media
Delton Wells is an active member of the United States Armed Forces originally from Summerville, South Carolina. He is currently stationed at Fort Campbell north of Clarksville, Tennessee and has taken this opportunity to immerse himself in local Tennessee history.
Delton has transformed his passion for U.S. history into an educational social media page with a large following called “Quick History Lesson.” He has also joined The Mount Olive Cemetery Preservation Society in an effort to preserve and protect local African American history.
Delton has now joined The Tennessee African American Historical Group to lend his skills and experience to increasing the social media visibility of this growing nonprofit.
