DENICE SHEPPARD to be honored as one of "LONG ISLAND'S TOP ADVOCATES FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION & EDUCATION" at July 10th Awards Reception to benefit the Oyster Bay Historical Society! Sponsorship, Journal Ads, Ticket Sales, Donations available here! in Woodbury

DENICE SHEPPARD to be honored as one of "LONG ISLAND'S TOP ADVOCATES FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION & EDUCATION" at July 10th Awards Reception to benefit the Oyster Bay Historical Society! Sponsorship, Journal Ads, Ticket Sales, Donations available here!

to honor

Denice Sheppard 

          Denice established and co-founded the Long Island Native American Indian Alliance Historical Society in 2007 to educate the community on Long Island Native American Indian affairs. The New York State Board of Regents had designated her organization as being the first Not for Profit American Indian historical society within the Long Island New York region. She and her board have provided lectures, educational programs and activities to various schools, museums and other entities throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Denice is also an active member of the Montaukett Tribe of Long Island New Yorkand serves on the Executive Council as an appointed secretary for several years. She and the Chief Trustees on The Executive Council have prepared various documents submitted for The Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs to petition the United States Government for Federal Recognition. These documents are on file within the Department of Interior and Denice has been corresponding for continued updates on this arduous process.

               From her ongoing passion for research and family history that had been passed down from her grandparents, she knew as a child she was a direct descendant from three Native tribes on Long Island predating European contact. Recognizing her documented family history, she was able to assist another relative, celebrity actress Vanessa Williams, on her family journey and was the family consultant and researcher for the nationally aired NBC program “Who Do You Think You Are” featuring documents that were aired February 2011. This televised program acknowledged their great, great grandfather, Civil War Veteran David Carll. Upon assisting the producers of the show with the vast researched documents, Denice had completed her first family memoir, “The Constant Struggle Within” which she self- published through her own publishing company, DS Publishing established in September 2011. This non-fiction memoir depicts Denice’s family background from 1742 on Long Island which her family still remains on the soil, purchased by her Great great grandfather who had served proudly in The Civil War. Her diverse family background has prompted Denice to recognize and accept the true value of family preservation and cultural history. She had a presented such a unique quality program for the Oyster Bay Historical Society for Black History Month 2012 and was able to articulate her family history with such memorization. She had discussed her quest for creating a historic district in the Pine Hollow area of Oyster Bay with the inclusion of military officers who fought in the 26th United States Colored Regiment of the Civil War. The same regiment Denice’s great great grandfather fought in. The soldiers in the cemetery have GAR markers that designate some significance and status of the war. Denice is passionate with acknowledging their efforts of military service and pursuing land marking this cemetery as it is associated with African Methodis Episcopalian Zion Church, the oldest colored church on Long Island.

            With such strong dedication and passion, Denice has proven to be an advocate for the historical preservation of African American and Native American Cemeteries. In 2011, Denice was acknowledged by Legislator, Dave Denenberg for pursuing historical landmark status on The Harold Avenue cemetery site in Wantagh, NY which holds several of Denice’s direct ancestors in unmarked graves. If it hadn’t been for Denice providing documentation proving her relatives existence, this process would have been longer to achieve. After a long arduous six year fight, The Harold Avenue site is now a Historical Landmark recognizing Denice’s family being the first inhabitants in an area known as the Brush on an initial 30 acres tract of land which had belonged to Denice’s relatives.

Denice Sheppard is the oldest of four children raised in the Hamlet of Oyster Bay.  She was the first in her family to graduate with High Honors, earning a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from C.W. Post Long Island University. With a grade point average of 3.9, she was inducted into the National Criminal Justice High Honor Society, while working full time for Nassau County Government. Denice has utilized her degree working with juvenile delinquents and offenders for the past 24 years.

                Denice has been married to her husband Kelly for 10 years and currently lives on the land that was passed down from 6 generations in her family in Oyster Bay. She spends quality time with their son Kai and enjoys the company of her extended family during family gatherings. This astonishing woman not only deserves to be acknowledged for her efforts, but for her resilient and relentless commitment for historical preservation. She continues to show dedication to family and recognizes the spirits of her ancestors live vicariously through her. By serving on News 12’s Diversity of Long Island Board, Denice hopes to encourage and educate the Long Islandcommunity with historical awareness and preserving what’s left of our jewel of a community. 

The inaugural "TOP ADVOCATES FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION & EDUCATION" AWARDS RECEPTION takes place on Tuesday, July 10, 2012, 6pm to 8pm, at The Mansion at the Woodlands at Woodbury, One Southwoods Road, Woodbury, NY.

To register or for more information, call Tracey Gittere at (516) 222-0550 or TGittere@LegendaryEvents.net

Proceeds support the Oyster Bay Historical Society's  important programs and services! 

The Oyster Bay Historical Society, http://www.oysterbayhistorical.org/, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating a broad public interest in and awareness of the rich and distinctive history of the Town of Oyster Bay, to collect, preserve, and make accessible to everyone artifacts, books, documents, records, photographs, and other materials pertinent to the history and development of Oyster Bay and to stimulate and educate the community through exhibitions, programs, and publications designed to interpret our past, to reflect on our future, and to bring our history to life in the present.

Categories: Other & Miscellaneous