Q&A with Melissa Fleming, DGS’ new Director of Information Technology

Meet Melissa Fleming, our new Director of Information Technology.

Cohen: What got you interested in genealogy?

Fleming: As a child, I often heard an interesting story about my great-grandfather’s surname. According to family tradition, the original surname was Cupit. As a descendant of American Chattel Slavery, my great-grandfather wanted to get rid of the former owner’s name. He changed his last name from “Cupit” to “Cupil”. With that being the case, I can be almost certain that any African American bearing that surname is either related to me or married to someone who is. I started researching my mother’s side of the family, and have been hooked ever since.

Cohen: What areas of research are you most interested in?

Fleming: Both sides of my family lived in Wilkinson County, Mississippi, for several generations after the emancipation of slavery. A lot of my research has been focused on finding documents that can help me trace all family members, or each generation that goes back to my oldest identified ancestors. Needless to say, there are many branches that are not complete. Equally important to me is the research that ties my ancestors to the family or families who enslaved them. I spend a great deal of time looking at probate records, and building timelines and trees. I hope this will allow me to have a broad view of the lives of my ancestors and their community.

Cohen: What helped you decide to give some of your time to DGS?

Fleming: Genealogical societies provide valuable services to the research community. As such, volunteers are a vital part of their success. In the few years that I have been a member, I have enjoyed the various seminars and workshops I have attended. I joined the Tech Team in 2023 and was impressed by how efficiently the organization is run. Once I was made aware that there were vacant board seats, I inquired about the vacancies. Hoping to not bite off more than I could chew, I thought that the Director of Information Technology might be a good fit for my skills, and would align with the role I currently serve on the Tech Team. It is important to me that I not only consume what DGS has to offer, but that I also contribute to the success of the organization.