Директор центра наследия в Хэрнете получил награду за документальный фильм об афроамериканской истории округа

LILLINGTON — Desi L. Campbell, executive director of the Harnett County African American Heritage Center, will receive a North Carolina Genealogical Society award for his documentary chronicling African American history in Harnett County. Campbell will receive the society’s Award for Excellence in an Online Resource for “The African American Experience: Harnett County” during its annual conference Sept. 18-19 in Raleigh. The documentary uses genealogy, archival records, photographs, oral histories and community stories to examine the lives and contributions of African Americans in Harnett County. The project focuses on preserving stories and historical records that have often received limited attention in traditional accounts of local history. The honor is Campbell’s second recognition from the North Carolina Genealogical Society in recent years. In 2024, he received the Outstanding Contribution to North Carolina Genealogy Award, the society’s highest honor, for his work in genealogical research, historical preservation and education. Campbell’s research focuses largely on African American genealogy, family history and historical preservation. His work has included helping families trace their ancestry through slavery and Reconstruction and preserving photographs, documents, oral histories and other family records. In addition to his work with the Harnett County African American Heritage Center, Campbell is a third-grade teacher at Lillington Elementary School and has more than 20 years of experience in education. During his career, he has worked as a technology teacher, music teacher and fifth-grade teacher before moving to third grade. Campbell has incorporated history, technology and storytelling into his educational and historical preservation work. The Harnett County documentary is also part of a larger series Campbell is developing to document African American history in communities across North Carolina. Upcoming projects include “Eastern Wake County: The African American Experience,” “Duplin County: The African American Experience” and “Southwest Wake County: The African American Experience.” The projects will use community accounts, family histories, historical records and stories from descendants to document and preserve local African American history. Campbell also works on family history books, ancestral charts, presentations, educational programs and digital projects aimed at preserving genealogical and community records for future generations.