Deborah Hall
Founder
Deb is the founder of WBHP. She has a deep love of history and is excited to be a part of the project. She is particularly interested in historic cemeteries and 19th century Black women club movements. Deb is Director of Domestic Violence Services at YWCA Central MA.
Cheryll Toney Holley
Cheryll is a professional researcher, writer, and speaker specializing in African-American and Native American peoples in New England. Cheryll was born and raised in Worcester like generations of her family before her. A mom and grandma, she is the Sonksq of the Nipmuc Nation.
Benetta Kuffour
Benetta is a retired Worcester Public School teacher. She is active in the Worcester community and currently works part time as a Standardized Patient for UMass Medical School. She is a descendant of Bethany Veney.
Xaulanda Thorpe
Xaulanda Thorpe is a spoken word poet from Worcester, Massachusetts. She graduated from Boston University with a degree in biological anthropology in January 2020. During her time at BU, when she was not examining primate samples, she wrote short stories for Charcoal Magazine, a student-led publication. In 2021, Xaulanda’s poem was chosen for the African Burial Ground National Monument’s Still I Rise tribute to Maya Angelou.
Nellie Toney
Nellie is Co-Chair of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Breakfast Committee, Chair of the Nipmuc Elders Committee and is treasurer of the WBHP.
Kimberly Toney
Kimberly was born and raised in Worcester County, and works as Head of Readers’ Services at the American Antiquarian Society. With roots in the Black and Nipmuc communities in Worcester and Worcester County, her research interests include African American and Indigenous history.
