Official Website of Author and Professor
My Story
The encyclopedia set my mom placed in my childhood den made me a lifelong learner. Love her!
there
I grew up blocks away from Jackson State University, and I finished undergraduate study there. Afterward, I moved to Houston, Texas, and taught science to middle schoolers. While in Houston, I also performed stand-up comedy. Working with Arnez J, Deon Cole, Nephew Tommy, and many others are a part of my good ol' days!
I'm passionate about the study, promotion, and celebration of the African American experience. My Master's at Texas Southern University and post-graduate study at the University of Miami helped transition my audience from comedy clubs to classrooms. Much love to the University of Memphis for cementing my doctoral degree that has allowed me to share my scholarship and humor across the world.
Freedom in Laughter, my nonfiction study of African American comedy during the Civil Rights Movement, is my most recent book. Beyond work, I enjoy listening to music, playing chess, traveling, and making new friends.
The Malcolm Frierson Foundation was founded in 2006 as a non-profit public charity. Its mission is to promote the academic success of African American youth. MFF highlights leadership, service, and celebration of Black life and culture.
The Marcus Garvey Scholarship Program honors the late Jamaican-born activist and organizer who served as the voice of uplift for millions of African descendants worldwide in the early twentieth century. Since 2016, MFF has awarded scholarships to outstanding high school seniors who share Garvey’s spirit of leadership, service, and appreciation of Black life and culture.
In 2026, MFF is poised to announce a partnership with Jackson State University that promotes its founding aims.
