Ric Murphy is an educator, historian, lecturer, and award winning author, including the highly acclaimed Freedom Road. Ric was a Senior Executive Fellow at Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government; and he has a Masters in Urban Affairs from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Massachusetts. Mr. Murphy has served in elected and appointed positions within state and local governments, and has taught and lectured at the post secondary level. He has served as Chairman of the Board of several private and community based organizations; served on numerous national, local and not-for-profit Boards of Directors; served on countless Advisory Boards to community based organizations and not-for-profits; and has received numerous awards for his public activism and community work. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and his family lineage dates to the earliest colonial periods of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and of Jamestown, Virginia. His family lineage has been evaluated and accepted by the Daughters of the American Revolution, the National Society of the Sons of Colonial New England, the Sons of the American Revolution, and the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War. In his writings, Murphy explores the roles and rich contributions made by African Americans in United States history. He lives and works in Washington, D.C. and can reached at ric@ricmurphy.com