Dr. Thomas Duval on the power of identity

Dr. Thomas Duval is a wealth of knowledge and experience. Born and raised in Macon, Duval’s family has been in Macon since the 1870s. After a successful dental career, including becoming Georgia’s first African American State Dental Public Health Director, Duval now spends his time giving back by educating students about their own history.

 

“If you don’t have a sense of your identity, a sense of who you are, you are not going to be motivated to want to learn,” he says.

 

This strong sense of identity can come from understanding local history. Duval makes this learning fun and accessible by teaching the stories of local figures in history including William Sanders Scarborough, who was born a slave in East Macon eventually became the President of Wilberforce University.