"Using song, poetry, and dramatic storytelling, he weaves the strands of African folklore, early American history, and contemporary interpretations into a rich quilt that creates for the listener the experiences of many individuals of African ancestry." --KLIATT

Rex Ellis is a teacher, historian, storyteller, and is currently vice president of the Historic Area at Colonial Williamsburg. Formerly, he was the chairman of the Division of Cultural History at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. He has also directed the Department of African-American Interpretation and Presentations at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Rex grew up in Williamsburg, Virginia and received his doctorate from the College of William and Mary. For years, he has been fascinated with history and storytelling and has used storytelling to educate and entertain contemporary audiences about their own times. Rex believes that storytelling is an excellent means for teaching sensitive cultural subjects within the home and community to break-down artificial social barriers. On one occasion Rex noted, "I have seen bridges built with storytelling that invites listeners and tellers to unite in ways that are more potent than a town meeting and more healing than a therapy session. It's pretty hard to hate someone whose story you know."

Rex is the author of seven books, has told stories in countless storytelling festivals and community socials across the country, and was hired by the Williamsburg Foundation to expand awareness of the colonial history of African-Americans in Williamsburg. As a part of his current employ, he tells stories extensively nationally and internationally. "Through this acheivement," says fellow storyteller Donald Davis, "Rex has found a way to extend his works beyond his personal presence and even beyond his lifetime."

(The preceding biography has been adapted from various Colonial Williamsburg web pages.)