Shelley Murphy: From survivor to Jefferson’s enslaved laborers researcher.

Shelley tells about her journey from surviving as a high school drop-out, victim of domestic abuse, and a young single mother to earning her doctorate and becoming a University of Virginia researcher, investigating president Thomas Jefferson’s beloved university and the enslaved laborers who built it. She talks about growing up in Grand Rapids, Michigan; her fervent love of the military and dropping out of high school out of anger since she was not allowed to graduate early to join the Army; living on her own since the age of 16; completing her bachelor's degree after 28 years; earning a master's and doctorate while working full time; her children’s father being killed by his nephew over a drug deal; leaving a violent relationship; the stressors that living with a mother-in-law afflicted with Alzheimer’s had on her later marriage; being forced to identify as either black or white when living in the South after not having color lines in Michigan and Hawai’i; the shock of learning about her slave ancestry and mixed race heritage; realizing her family makeup reflects American history; the emotional impact of researching Thomas Jefferson's enslaved laborers; her Ancestor Calvin Davis, a radio gunner passing for white, who was killed in a WWII plane crash during a 1941 bombing run in Meresburg, Germany; her black ancestor who owned slaves- James Roper, the son of a slave and Nicholas Roper who left everything to his mulatto son including slaves; half of James's kids deciding to pass for white and their descendants’ reaction when they learn of their black ancestry; mission to find great grandfather William Michael Murphy; Revolutionary War patriot John Boyer and meeting white descendants; ten years ago, thinking DAR was a whites only organization and not knowing about black patriots and members; working on getting seven additional patriots approved by DAR; joining the DAR and serving as chair membership chapter; “my folks helped lay the foundation of this country”, “we’ve served”, “we have to tell these stories”. Read Shelley’s biography at www.daughterdialogues.com/daughters

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Chapters

• 0:26 Growing up in Grand Rapids, MI; father real estate broker and accountant, mother sewing for GM; influence of being only girl among 4 brothers
• 2:36 Brownie and Girl Scout in 60s, only black in troop, not always included in sleepovers
• 6:28 Dropping out of high school, angry because could not allowed to graduate early to join Army
• 9:12 Moving out on own at age of 16
• 10:11 Decision to return to complete high school while working to support living on own
• 12:21 Father of children being killed by his nephew over a drug deal; leaving violent relationship
• 15:13 Leaving marriage in HI due to conflicts caused by mother-in-law's Alzheimer's
• 18:33 Living in Florida to care for sick father, daughter difficulty adjusting to race relations in South compared to HI; determination to get mother to VA to research family
• 20:45 Getting started in genealogy from listening to mother's stories
• 21:34 Completing bachelor's degree in social psychology after 28 years
• 24:12 Earning a master's degree in organizational behavior and management while working full time
• 24:51 Forging ahead to earn a doctorate, committing to vision board and setting example for daughter
• 27:08 Children never having a thought of dropping out of school and attaining degrees on their own, family interest in learning
• 28:51 Moving to VA, along with mother and brother
• 29:34 Working as a HUD certified counselor and overseeing housing program in VA
• 30:18 Working at UVA researching Thomas Jefferson's enslaved laborers
• 32:24 Developing interest in genealogy and research skills; learning ancestor was a slave
• 37:07 Emotional impact of research, encountering actual bill of sale document for 12 year old slave Priscilla
• 42:15 Learning about family racial mixture; realizing family makeup reflects American history; staking claim to this country
• 44:18 Ancestor Calvin Davis, radio gunner passing for white, killed in WWII plane crash during 1941 bombing run in Germany before Tuskegee Airmen; speaking with survivor from crash who didn't know he was black
• 49:06 Slave owning black ancestor, James Roper, son of a slave and Nicholas Roper who left everything to his mulatto son including slaves; half of James's kids deciding to pass for white, others going black
• 52:49 Reaction of white James's descendants when learning they were mixed race
• 54:14 Not knowing when or where great grandfather William Michael Murphy was born
• 56:22 Discovering Revolutionary War patriot John Boyer, meeting white descendant
• 58:53 Having to choose a race although of mixed heritage, identifying as American with African Ancestry
• 1:03:06 John Boyer's Revolutionary War service
• 1:03:46 Only knowing Marian Anderson incident about DAR, not knowing black members could join, thinking DAR was a whites only organization, not knowing about black patriots
• 1:06:01 Feelings after learning of patriots; mission to help other women of color join
• 1:07:19 Identifying and working on getting seven additional patriots approved by DAR; wanting to earn more ancestor bar pins
• 1:12:14 Joining DAR because was not wanted before, feelings of pride and believing in DAR's mission
• 1:16:41 Experiences as a new DAR member
• 1:18:13 Reaction from others about membership in DAR, discussing Marian Anderson; finding more black patriots
• 1:19:48 Trying to get son to join S.A.R.; brother joining S.A.R.; mother joining DAR
• 1:22:41 Holding chapter board meeting at house, members feeling like family, mother contributing time crocheting to chapter
• 1:24:09 Serving as chair membership chapter; idea for more community engagement through having people at the same table learning their histories
• 1:28:55 Pride in ancestors' contributions to founding of the U.S.