Karen Batchelor: First black DAR member. It took a village. Artwork

Daughter Dialogues

Listen to real-life stories from women with African American lineage who honor their ancestors' fight to achieve independence for the United States of America and are members of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). The host, Reisha Raney, a black leader in the DAR and a direct descendant of President Thomas Jefferson's grandfather, is conducting independent research as a Harvard University non-resident fellow, under the direction of Henry Louis Gates, Jr, host of the PBS Special "Finding Your Roots", exploring the lives of DAR members of color and their ancestry which includes men and women of American Indian, black or African descent, and white or European descent who contributed to the founding of the USA. Who are these descendants? What challenges did they overcome researching their genealogy? Visit DaughterDialogues.com to subscribe to the newsletter and meet more members of color. Follow us @DaughterDialogs on Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube. This is not an official podcast of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). This podcast is independent and does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the NSDAR. The President General is the official spokesperson of NSDAR.

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Daughter Dialogues

Karen Batchelor: First black DAR member. It took a village.

February 18, 2021 • Reisha Raney and Karen Batchelor • Season 2 • Episode 23

0:00 | 1:38:37

Karen discusses being admitted to the DAR in 1977 as the first known black member by defying resistance within the society; inquiring about admission to the DAR by writing local chapters, upon the suggestion of archivist and friend Margaret Ward; not knowing if there were other black members, reaching out to two Detroit, Michigan chapters, sharing that she was black, but never hearing back; being unable to meet the requirement of attaining the sponsorship of two members since no one would invite her to a chapter; help from James Dent Walker, African-American, head of genealogical services at the National Archives; becoming aware that she was the first known black to apply but would not be the first genetically black member since some white members discovered that their patriots were of color; being the first to say "I am black, I am eligible, I would like to apply”, then President General Baylies reaching out to chapters to ask who would accept her, encouraging that they "would do a great service to the national society"; the Ezra Parker chapter in Royal Oak, Michigan offering to sponsor her; appearing on the front cover of the New York Times, and in over 230 publications in stories about her admission; a California chapter requesting to review her application, not believing a black could be eligible to the join DAR; Mrs. Baylies protecting her by putting the application documents in her desk and closing the file; Mrs. Baylies being recognized, in her obituary, for admitting the first black member; smiling at the portrait of Mrs. Baylies in the DAR headquarters with each visit, "it took a village to get me there and she was part of that village"; learning decades later about having been blackballed by a chapter who voted against sponsoring her, then transferring to that chapter to heal from their rejection and serving as the Regent (leader); Peggy Anderson's 1974 The Daughters account of race in DAR; initiating her application because "I could" and it was a logical conclusion to finding her white Revolutionary War ancestor William Hood, in ten months, a patriot who had never been established with DAR; feeling uncomfortable as the only person of color at her first Continental Congress, her breath being taken away and feeling really American when the flag unfurled from the ceiling in DAR Constitution Hall; being the subject of a Jeopardy television game show final clue; her family joining the DAR; Alex Haley’s Roots, published four months into her research, serving as a major incentive to keep going; later meeting Haley and learning that he was a fan of hers; not being able to find an African forebearer; misconceptions that researchers will never get through slavery to get to a black person's patriot; not all black ancestry traces back to slavery; serving as National Vice Chair of Lineage Research for African American Patriots and Research; Real Daughter Eunice Russ Ames Davis, daughter of African descent Prince Ames, joining the DAR in the 1800's; reconciling the Marian Anderson incident; regretting going inactive for ten years, not finding how DAR was relevant in her life and how she was relevant in the society; "as a black woman, I felt I had to leave myself at the door"; feeling DAR as an organization, "we have made progress but we still have more progress to make"; feeling troubled by the state of racism in America; identifying the opportunity for DAR to educate members about diversity to continue moving forward as a society; rejecting the notion that racism is “political"; the growing number of black members; the need for DAR to be more attractive for black members; "DAR means a sisterhood, a love for history, and being an American".

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Inquiring about admission to the DAR by writing local chapters, upon the suggestion of archivist and friend Margaret Ward; not knowing if there were other black members, DAR's negative reputation in black community

Help from James Dent Walker, African-American, National Archives; inability to attain chapter sponsorship; likely not first genetically black member; first to say "I'm black, eligible, would like to apply"; white members discovering their black patriots

Learning DAR application process; reaching out to two Detroit DAR chapters, expressing interest in applying and sharing that was black, but never hearing back; requirement to be sponsored by two members but no one inviting to chapter

Admission in 1977 as first known black member resulting in media coverage, appearing on front cover of NY Times, in over 230 papers nationwide and internationally, Jet and Redbook Magazines

Ezra Parker chapter in Royal Oak, MI offering to sponsor for membership- also seen as pioneers; President General Baylies reaching out to chapters to ask who would accept member of color

Setting the scene of race in 1974 DAR with Peggy Anderson's "The Daughters"

Reflecting on the account from "The Daughters"; misconceptions that will never get through slavery to get to a black person's patriot; not all black ancestry traces back to slavery

Learning decades later about having been blackballed by chapter vote against admittance

Pres. General Baylies encouraging chapters "would do a great service to the national society" by accepting; CA chapter contesting admission, not believing a black could be eligible to join DAR; Baylies protecting, putting papers in her desk, closing file

Receiving a DAR recognition pin from father for his pride in daughter's DAR admission

Initiating application because "I could" and no reason not to apply, logical conclusion to research as a genealogist finding a patriot, on own, in ten months which had never before been established in DAR

The Daughters prediction, three years prior to admission, that a black woman would join and there are members who would welcome a black member

Roots by Alex Haley, published 4 months into research, major incentive to keep going; not being able to find African forebearer; meeting Alex Haley and learning he was a fan

President General Baylies, in her obituary, being recognized for admitting first black member; smiling at portrait of Baylies in DAR headquarters with each visit, "it took a village to get me there and she was part of that village"

Reconciling Marian Anderson incident as a black woman growing up in America, recognizing it was not a new phenomenon; joining MLK peace march in Detroit as a family; growing up in a bubble not traveling south, being aware of Jim Crow laws

DAR's amends for Marian Anderson incident and reputation repair; discussing that even Marian Anderson didn't want to be remembered for just the DAR controversy

Feeling DAR as an organization "we have made progress in this lifetime but we still have more progress to make"

Attending first Continental Congress, lonely experience; feeling people staring and whispering since only person of color; remembering flag unfurling from ceiling in Constitution Hall taking breath away; performance by black opera singer Leontyne Price

Mother and aunt Hazel joining and having making Continental Congress their annual sister outing; sister and cousin joining

Feeling sense of pride and being really being American experiencing unfurling of the flag and being a part of both the ceremony and organization

Regretting going inactive as a DAR member for roughly ten years; not finding how DAR was relevant in her life and how was relevant in the society; "as a black woman, I felt I had to leave myself at the door"

Taking leadership roles in DAR as chapter Librarian and Vice Regent; serving as Regent (leader) of the chapter that had blackballed and denied sponsoring, needing to heal from that rejection by transferring into the chapter

Serving as National Vice Chair of Lineage Research for African American Patriots and Research for two administrations

Feeling troubled by state of America; thinking America had moved past all of the racist talk; identifying opportunity for DAR to educate members on a chapter level about diversity to continue moving forward; rejecting the notion racism is "political"

Growing number of black members, no longer the only one; cherishing friendships with other Daughters of color

P.G. Spicer's 1974 remarks that presence of black members will never change DAR's public negative perception; black women creating own organizations while lineage societies weren't accepting them; need for DAR to be more attractive to black members

Being the subject of a Jeopardy television game show final clue

Counting being a mother as one of life's greatest accomplishments; looking forward to grandchildren becoming C.A.R. members

Gaining a greater appreciation of family and resilience of ancestors by continuing research to become a DAR member; "DAR means a sisterhood, a love for history, and being an American"