D.J. Norman-Cox

D. J. Norman-Cox is a Public Historian based in Denton, Texas. As a teenager, Cox became infatuated with African American history and culture. For nearly 50 years since then he has generated a variety of innovative educational programs and activities that promote appreciation for African American history particularly among youth. Most recently, he co-founded Juneteenth University, Inc., a non-profit organization that promotes awareness of Texas Emancipation Day and Juneteenth National Independence Day, both commonly known as Juneteenth.

Cox is an avid researcher of Juneteenth history and has published several books, including Juneteenth 101 – Popular Myths and Forgotten Facts; Texas Best (a coloring book featuring pictures and biographies of Black Texans); Amen! – The History of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church (Denton, Texas); and That Good Hair Girl (a fictional prose-poem narrative based on actual adversities encountered by the first African American graduate in Calexico, California.)

Cox’s work has exposed non-researchers to a wealth of historical records that debunk popular Texas emancipation legends. Also, he has introduced two new theses for scholarly study, they being: 1) Union Army soldiers re-enslaved Galveston’s freedmen on the same day they were emancipated; and 2) June 19th had no significance outside of Galveston until 1869.

Because of his voluminous research on the origin and growth of Texas Emancipation Day, Cox has been labeled an authority on the subject by a growing list of history scholars, African American Museum administrators, Juneteenth celebration coordinators, and a variety of professionally accomplished historians including the current National President of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (originators of Black History Month.)

Though African American history is his avocation, Cox’s formal training is in music education, counseling, and student personnel services. He enjoys the creative arts and frequently supports Texas schools by generating history-based competitions (e.g., visual arts, performing arts, essay, oratory, etc.) and adjudicating speech and debate tournaments.