Our Mission

Devine Prince was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and brings a strong background in leadership, community advocacy and public engagement to the United States Freedmen Project.

As President and a founding member of the United States Freedmen Project, Devine advocates for lineage-based reparative justice for descendants of American Freedmen. His work focuses on expanding public understanding of the historical and economic consequences of slavery and post-emancipation discrimination, while advancing policy solutions that address those harms directly.

Devine is also committed to strengthening political representation, improving access to historical education and building coalitions around federal reparations policy. Through the organization, he works to connect historical research, public education and advocacy in support of meaningful repair for Freedmen descendants.

Annette Wilcox was born and raised in the heart of New York and is deeply rooted in her family heritage as the great-granddaughter of a Georgia sharecropper and landowner. Her lifelong curiosity about world history led her to earn a degree in History from Queens College, CUNY, laying the foundation for a broad and deeply informed perspective on society, culture and public life.

Annette went on to build a distinguished 35-year career as a Textile Research and Development Director. Her work took her throughout Asia, Africa and Europe, experiences that broadened her perspective both professionally and personally while deepening her understanding of history, culture and economic systems.

Coming of age during the Civil Rights Movement initially filled Annette with optimism about the future of Freedmen in the United States. Over time, however, she witnessed persistent social disparities and became increasingly concerned with the ways American Freedmen continued to face marginalization. In New York City, policing practices during the 1990s reinforced her understanding that many of the inequities confronted during the Civil Rights era had not disappeared.

Her commitment to racial equity was also shaped by early experiences with protest, including demonstrations following the police killing of 10-year-old Clifford Glover. These experiences strengthened her determination to confront injustice and contributed to her growing focus on the economic condition of American Freedmen.

Annette ultimately became a strong advocate for reparations as a means of addressing the continuing economic and social consequences of slavery and its vestiges. Today, she serves as a pivotal member of the United States Freedmen Project, bringing together her historical knowledge, professional experience, family heritage and longstanding commitment to racial and economic justice in support of a more just future for American Freedmen.

Rev. Phyllis Ida Coachman is an ordained minister, licensed clinical social worker, author, educator and founding member of the U.S. Freedmen Project, Inc. Her commitment to advocacy and community service extends across several decades.

Throughout her 31-year career in public service, Rev. Coachman worked with individuals and families navigating difficult circumstances and complex systems. She served people from many backgrounds, with a particular commitment to Black American communities and others disproportionately affected by systemic inequities. Her work was guided by a commitment to listening carefully, helping people clearly express their concerns and needs, and advocating for their voices to receive fair consideration.

Since 2019, Rev. Coachman has brought this longstanding commitment into the grassroots reparative-justice movement. Her work focuses on addressing the continuing badges and incidents of slavery and government-sanctioned discrimination experienced by American Freedmen—descendants of persons enslaved in the United States.

Her advocacy has included meeting with legislators, contributing to discussions concerning legislation and public policy, participating in educational panels and workshops, and helping to organize community events.

Through ministry, education, mental-health advocacy and civic engagement, Rev. Coachman remains committed to advancing justice, accountability and meaningful repair for American Freedmen and their descendants.