Award winning author Kaye Wise Whitehead discussed and held a signing for her new book in the James E. Lewis Museum of Art at Morgan State University on Tuesday.

 Whitehead began the event with a presentation explaining the history behind her book, Notes from a Colored Girl. She explained that she obtained diaries from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. These diaries belonged to Emilie F. Davis and were written between 1863 and 1865.

 She also discussed a technique used to develop her story.  Forensic Historical Investigation was developed by Whitehead to help her analyze and annotate the diaries. This technique allowed her to extract people, places and events from the diaries so that she could better understand Emilie’s life.  

After explaining the history of her book, Whitehead explained to the students the importance of colored women’s stories in history through the Black Feminist Connection theory. 

Before ending the presentation, Whitehead discussed the importance of black women having a voice. “I knew that she needed to be a book so that people could access the work.”  Whitehead stated.

Lastly, Whitehead briefly discussed the setting of her book. She explained how black people lived and conducted business within the free black communities, in historical Philadelphia.

The event ended with a Q&A and book signing. “I wanted people to see Emilie’s life as being significant, because perhaps in seeing her life as being significant they can also see that their own lives are significant,” said Whitehead.