
Transform History into Healing

Adrienne Fikes, M.Ed. is a recognized expert in ancestral memory, descendant engagement, and restorative public history.
Ms. Fikes helps museums, universities, nonprofits, government agencies, and communities build authentic relationships with descendants, members, and staff by transforming historical research into organizational change, public engagement, and collective healing. Ms. Fikes is the creator of the 16 Greats Project, and the Joy, Genealogy & Justice Framework

2026 Association of Professional Genealogists Kenyata D. Berry African American Research Scholarship Recipient
2023 Board for Certification in Genealogy Paul Edward Sluby Sr. Scholar
2021 Sons and Daughters of the United States Middle Passage Inductee

Signature Topics
* Who Are Your People?: Naming Your 16 Greats
* Family History & Segregated Black Schools
* Mental Health, Spirituality for Archival Research
* How to Handle Pain, Lies, Injustice, & Difficult Truths Encountered in Research
* Civic Engagement & Family History
* Reframing Narratives of Enslaver Research
* Central Lunatic Asylum for Colored Insane
Book Ms. Fikes
Ms. Fikes is available for keynotes, panels, workshops, coaching, training, & consulting.
For bookings, proposals, or questions, contact:

Printable Speaker Sheet
Download the beautifully formatted high-resolution PDF version of Ms. Fikes’ Speaker Sheet. Perfect for event organizers, conference hosts, and meeting planners looking to share speaker profiles with their selection committees.
Learning Institute and Partnership Initiatives
Download the beautifully formatted high-resolution PDF version of the Learning Institute and Partnership Initiatives. Perfect for senior leaders, organizers, and stakeholders looking to share Ms. Fikes’ capability statement with their selection committees.

Upcoming Talks


Featured Presentations
16Greats Project TEDx Talk
Can You Speak the Names of All 16 of Your Great-Great-Grandparents?
Robert F. Smith Explore Your Family History Center Presentation
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Panel 1: The Evolving History of Virginia’s Central State Hospital, 1869 – 2025
15th Annual William & Mary Lemon Project Symposium
How to Handle Lies, Injustice, Pain and Difficult Truths in Your Research
RootsTech – Global Genealogy Conference
He Went To See A Man About A Horse: What Really Happened to Great-Grandpa?
APA Foundation Town Hall – Mental Health & Genealogy Advocacy

Podcast Interview
Reframing Narratives of Enslaver Research
Ancestor’s Footprints with Bernice Alexander Bennett
Published Article flipbook
Joy, Genealogy, and Justice: Connecting to History through Family Research
American Association of State and Local History Spring 2021 History News


































