BIO
PATRICIA SMITH GRIFFIN is a broadcaster, historian, genealogist and motivational speaker and a regular presenter at the Ohio Local History Alliance. She is the founder of the Charity’s Children Project, Inc., a non-profit and The Legacy of Charity’s Children, LLC. These organizations are committed to preserving the inspiring heritage of early Ohio settlers, John Isaac Davis and his daughter, Charity Davis Caesar Broady who was of African and Ani'-Yun'wiya (Cherokee) descent.
The descendants of Mrs. Broady has been in the first free state since its inception in 1803/1804, spanning twelve generations (and counting) in the Miami Valley of Dayton, Ohio. Because of her community activism, Mrs. Broady was inducted into the Dayton Region Walk of Fame in October 2023.
Patricia serves as Executive Producer, Writer, and Narrator of The Legacy of Charity’s Children, a short story podcast series that chronicles the lives of the Davis/Broady family and generations of their descendants. The stories draw from a generational archive collection, oral and written histories spanning 221 years. Selected for the prestigious 2023 Urban Mediamakers Film Festival, Season One of the podcast is now accessible on the organization’s website, with the highly anticipated Season Two set to premiere in July 2024.
Patricia, a fourth great-granddaughter of Mrs. Broady, is dedicated to educating others on the preservation of family legacies through records, artifacts, and oral history. Recently featured in the documentary “National Votes for Women Trail” by PBS’ The Art Show, Patricia discussed her great-grandmother, Jewelia Galloway Higgins, and her pivotal role in the 19th-century women's suffrage movement. Patricia’s insights have also been showcased on NBC, CBS, iHeartRadio, Dayton Daily News, Dayton.com, The Columbus Dispatch, and various award-winning podcasts nationwide.