African American History in Staten Island, New York with Debbie-Ann Paige

Debbie-Ann Paige is a public historian specializing in community and local African American history and a professional genealogist.   She is co-president and a founding member of the Richard B. Dickenson Staten Island Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) and an appointed member of the New York City Council task force created to examine monuments, statues, public art and historical markers on city-owned property. 

She has worked on numerous local history projects including “In Pursuit of Freedom'' with the Brooklyn Historical Society; “Farm to City,""Women of the Nation Arise!” and the Access, Collaboration and Equity in Genealogy (ACEGen) initiative with the Staten Island Museum. She established the “Louis Napoleon House '' as a site with the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to freedom on behalf of the Sandy Ground Historical Society. She has developed an app representing Staten Island’s African American past with a modest grant from Staten Island Arts and most recently was the historical consultant on the recently published book, The Black Angels: The Untold Story of the Nurses Who Helped Cure Tuberculosis. Debbie-Ann has also appeared as an historical interpreter on the Emmy-winning show “Secrets of New York,” WITF Toward Racial Justice: Tracing Family History, and PBS programs Metrofocus: Juneteenth and Treasures of New York: Snug Harbor episodes. She also facilitates public history forums focused on the historical perspectives of race and race relations.

She holds a BS in Business Studies from Southern New Hampshire University, and both a BA and MA in History from the College of Staten Island, CUNY. She is currently working towards a Doctor of Education in Community-Based Leadership at the College of Staten Island.