My Free People of Color and Those Classified as Melungeon - Gigi Best-Richardson

Gigi Best is an Author, Historian, Genealogist, Poet, Playwright, Journalist, Speaker and Antiquarian Bookstore Owner. While earning her A.A. and B.S. Degrees, she was awarded Who’s Who in American Universities and Colleges. While in her M. A. Program in English Literature and History, she received  the All American Scholar awards. As a Federal Retiree she earned the Citation for Exemplary Civil Service to the United States Air Force 2002-2004.

She is a recipient of the Phillis Wheatley Literary Award for her Book, “Thomas the Melungeon: His Locust Family of Free Persons of Color Civil and Revolutionary War Patriots.” This genealogical and historical work has been placed in many Genealogical Libraries to include Daughters of the American Revolution; Tampa, Florida’s John G. Germany Library; North Carolina Archives and the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library. Gigi is currently working on two historical novels entitled: Nathan Best: From Enslaved Body Servant to Confederate Courier and Chapin’s Forty Acres.

She is a member of Phi Alpha Theta, Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society and many National Lineage Societies to include: Board of Directors Sons & Daughters of the U.S. Middle Passage, Florida Branch Governor, Sons and Daughters of Pilgrims; Daughters of the American Revolution; Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America; Colonial Dames 17th Century; Colonial Dames of America; Society of New England Women; Daughters of Union Veterans of Civil War.  Gigi has proven her Best, Hardy,Sutton,Durant, and Tilden ancestors to 1583 and her Free Persons of Color, Lucas/Locust ancestors to 1806.