Barbara Seals Nevergold graduated from Buffalo State University and received her PhD from the University at Buffalo. She held leadership positions in several organizations and retired as the Director of Student Support Services at UB’s Educational Opportunity Center. Dr. Seals Nevergold served on the Buffalo Board of Education from 2012 to 2019, including four years as President.
In 1999, Dr. Seals Nevergold co-founded The Uncrowned Queens Institute to document Black women’s role in the 1901 Pan American Exposition. This year, the Institute observes its 25th year of documenting and preserving the history of Western New York’s African American communities. The Institute’s programs include biographical and oral history collections, video and audio programs, preservation of historic assets, curriculum development, and community engagement. The Institute’s signature website is (www.uncrownedcommunitybuilders.com).
Dr. Seals Nevergold’s publications uncover little-known history of local African American pioneers. Recently, she wrote: “Walter Hawkins, A New Look at His Story,” The Erie Canal, Vol. 1 Perspectives at 200, July 2024, “Faith and Perseverance,” New York Archives Magazine, 2024, “East Presbyterian Church: the Forgotten Congregation,” 2023; “Ida Dora Fairbush- Buffalo’s First African American Teacher: A Pioneer”.
Dr. Seals Nevergold has received numerous community service awards. She was inducted into The HistoryMakers in 2018. Her biographic interview is included in the Library of Congress archive. She is a fellow of the New York Academy of History.