Sharri talks about her family’s effect on Abraham Lincoln’s assassin during an intertwined story concerning the Fugitive Slave Act, negotiated by her maternal relative U.S. Senator Henry Clay, inciting the Christiana Riot in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania where her paternal ancestors were protecting fugitive slaves; Frederick Douglass assisting her ancestors to reach the Elgin Settlement in Canada on the Underground Railroad; growing up on a dairy farm in Lapeer, Michigan, living in an 1846 farmhouse; being the only black student in her one room schoolhouse; relative Phyllis Marshall, a black Canadian TV personality and jazz singer; traveling in Europe as a soprano with the Southern Michigan Youth Chorale; competing in the Miss America franchise; earning a bachelor's in economics from Oakland University; her thirty year career at General Motors; going back to complete her law degree at Michigan State; attending a two week immersion class in Germany in her fifties to achieve her dream of becoming fluent in a second language; founding a law practice in the areas of Child Welfare, Juvenile Delinquency, and Probate Law at the age of 55; being instructed by her grandmother as a child to not talk about her ancestry because no one would believe it; her Revolutionary War patriot Green Clay who was the largest landholder and largest slaveholder in Kentucky; the impact of the free labor of slaves in creating the wealth of America; presenting "My Journey to DAR" at the Elgin settlement for former and self-emancipated slaves, in Ontario, Canada, annual "Homecoming" event; the 1851 Christiana Riot battle at the home of her paternal great-great-grandparents William and Eliza Parker, self-emancipated slaves from Maryland and abolitionists, resulting in the demise of slave master Edward Gorsuch who attempted to reclaim slaves under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 which was negotiated by her maternal relative U.S. Senator Henry Clay; the killing of Gorsuch fueling John Wilkes Booth to assassinate president Abraham Lincoln; ancestor Christopher "Kit" Clay’s relationship with servant of African descent Matilda Tillman and their daughter Loutisha Clay’s relationship with a white man whose fear of financial ruin prevented their legal marriage; Cassius Clay inspired to be an abolitionist by Green Clay's African descent servant Mary, condemned to hang for murdering her overseer who was plotting to kill her; Cassius suggesting Mary is Green Clay's daughter; joining the DAR to preserve lineage with a long lasting institution and to provide enrichment about the formation of the U.S.; questioning about lineage during application process triggering trauma from suffering due to experiencing ancestors' lives while researching genealogy; objecting to people trying to eject citizens from America, “I'm putting my stakes in the ground.” Read Sharri’s biography at www.daughterdialogues.com/daughters
Subscribe to the newsletter at www.daughterdialogues.com
Follow us @DaughterDialogs on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
Growing up on a dairy farm in Lapeer, MI; born in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning the "separate but equal" doctrine; doing farm chores reflecting on how slaves must have dealt with same hard work but in Southern heat
Living in an 1846 farmhouse with three generations
Attending a one room schoolhouse; being only black in school and socially isolated by the other kids
Musical family; related to Phyllis Marshall, singer, actress, pioneer among black Canadian performers; traveling in Europe as a soprano with the Southern Michigan Youth Chorale
Winning pageants; competing in Miss America franchise, blocked by sponsors from winning Miss Michigan because black
Earning bachelor's degree in economics at Oakland University, a part of University of Michigan
Working for law firm in high school; 30 year career at General Motors; working in labor relations with unions
Going back to complete law degree at Michigan State University
Wanting to be bilingual in a second language, attending a two week immersion class in Germany in her fifties
Attending design school and starting law practice in areas of Child Welfare, Juvenile Delinquency, and Probate Law at age of 55 after GM closed plants in economic downturn of 2008; president of Bar Association chapter
Marrying the son of the first black doctor admitted to practice at a local hospital in Detroit; mother-in-law having similar farm history and features
Growing up knowing about Revolutionary War ancestor, instructed as a child to not talk about ancestry because no one would believe it; mother bringing up joining the DAR
Revolutionary War patriot Green Clay whose ancestor was John clay- soldier on ship Treasurer who brought first Africans to VA to be sold into slavery; acquired land in VA
Green Clay, in U.S. House of Burgesses, weighed in on ratifying Constitution, amassed land as a surveyor of what would become KY, largest landholder and largest slaveholder in KY; impact of free labor of slaves on creating wealth of America
Confirming feelings of being special and understanding how came to think and act today by learning about ancestors, nature vs. nurture
Presenting "My Journey to DAR" at Elgin settlement for emancipated slaves, in Ontario, Canada, annual "Homecoming" event; disappointment in not learning the full picture about American history in school
1851 Christiana Riot at home of paternal ancestors William & Eliza Parker, self-emancipated slaves from MD, resulting in demise of master Gorsuch attempting to reclaim slaves under Fugitive Slave Act, negotiated by maternal relative Henry Clay
U.S. Senator Henry Clay brokering the Fugitive Slave Act so slave masters could reclaim slaves who fled to free states; one side of family supported while the other side defied the Fugitive Slave Act
Cassius Clay, son of Green Clay and bother of ancestor Brutus Clay, US Ambassador to Russia and abolitionist
John Wilkes Booth, best friend of Edward Gorsich's son Thomas, fueled to assassinate Abraham Lincoln after learning about death of Gorsuch
Ancestor Christopher "Kit" Clay’s relationship with servant of African descent Matilda Tillman
Matilda assigned to roll the ball and chain of her brother "Uncle Pol" down the field while he was working; "Uncle Pol's" rebuttal to judge
Kit and Matilda's daughter Loutisha Clay’s relationship with a white man whose fear of financial ruin prevented their legal marriage; challenge of proving African ancestry for DAR
Cassius inspired to be abolitionist by Green Clay's African descent servant Mary, condemned to hang for murdering overseer plotting to kill her; Mary pardoned by governor and released back to Green Clay; Cassiuss suggesting Mary is Green Clay's daughter
Green Clay's American Revolution and War of 1812 service
Joining the DAR because no obvious inheritor of family research, wanting to preserve lineage with a long lasting institution; appreciating DAR established in 1890; providing more enrichment of what was happening during the formation of the U.S.
Responses to telling people about being a member of the DAR; people ask why because view it as not interested in knowing about ancestry of people who are not of European descent but organization was helpful in application process
Was always told no one would believe descend from patriot; questioning about lineage during application process triggering trauma from suffering due to experiencing ancestors' lives while researching genealogy
Insignia and Women's Issue chapter chairman
Not agreeing with people trying to eject citizens from America, "this is my home, I'm staking my ground"; reliving terror runs deep with Africans- being afraid to travel and do normal things; humanizing and respecting patriot
