Lila Rakoczy
A native of Huntsville, Lila Rakoczy, PhD, received her BA in history from King’s College London, and her MA in historical archaeology and PhD in archaeology from the University of York. In Britain she worked for six years in the museum, heritage, and academic sectors, and after returning home taught for three years as a Visiting Assistant Professor of History at Sam Houston State University. A chance encounter in a cemetery sparked a decade-long quest that resulted in the identification of nearly 30,000 African American Texans who served in World War I. Partial results of this work were showcased in the traveling centennial exhibit No Man’s Land: East Texas African Americans in WWI, and a book is forthcoming. Lila is currently the Education and Outreach Specialist for the Texas General Land Office.