Tod Haskin Fredericks was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and has studied commercial art, art education and fine art at The Layton School of Art in Milwaikee and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After college he served in the United States Army for three years, from 1966-1969.

Tod is a painter who specializes in depicting the African American military experience in American History. He has a number of well-received works related to United States Colored Troops in his portfolio. Two of which are "A Veterans Return," a limited edition offering released in 1998, and "A Braver Set of Men," also released in 1998.

The film "Glory" was the spark that inspired him to search for, uncover and tell the largely ignored and forgotten stories of the past.