For the past fifteen years, Darren Campbell has been a researcher of history. He is an orator, speechwriter and the author of five books. Darren is the creator of the “Simone Project,” a classroom series narrated through the eyes of a 10-year-old African American girl named Simone, who takes the participants on numerous journeys through landmarks of history. Between 2005 and 2012, Darren has received several awards and national recognition for his work on the Simone Project. For example, he is a recipient of the Expansion Arts Award from the Community Foundation of Charleston. Darren has received three individual art grants from the City of Charleston Cultural Arts Commission and featured on local TV, radio, as well as national magazines including Essence, Jet, and the School Library Journal. Darren has written numerous columns for the Charleston Chronicle, a local newspaper with tides to hundreds of churches in the Black community. He also is a frequent guess on the Pastor Washington Show, a radio program that airs every Friday afternoon that talk about Black history and the Bible. Darren is also the director of First Agenda, a non-profit 501(C3) program with headquarters in Charleston, SC that targets urban schools. First Agenda combines music with positive lyrics, speeches and poetry to enlighten, excite, and educate young audiences about their past. Invited by the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, Darren gave lectures to elementary students from five local schools. He received outstanding reviews at each event from the students and their teachers, and requested to continue these lectures. Darren is very excited about the Simone Project because of the potential it has to reach students across America.