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

Daughter Dialogues

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

1. Shelley Murphy: From survivor to Jefferson’s enslaved laborers researcher. (00:00:00)

2. Growing up in Grand Rapids, MI; father real estate broker and accountant, mother sewing for GM; influence of being only girl among 4 brothers (00:00:26)

3. Brownie and Girl Scout in 60s, only black in troop, not always included in sleepovers (00:02:36)

4. Dropping out of high school, angry because could not allowed to graduate early to join Army (00:06:28)

5. Moving out on own at age of 16 (00:09:12)

6. Decision to return to complete high school while working to support living on own (00:10:11)

7. Father of children being killed by his nephew over a drug deal; leaving violent relationship (00:12:21)

8. Leaving marriage in HI due to conflicts caused by mother-in-law's Alzheimer's (00:15:13)

9. 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 (00:18:33)

10. Getting started in genealogy from listening to mother's stories (00:20:45)

11. Completing bachelor's degree in social psychology after 28 years (00:21:34)

12. Earning a master's degree in organizational behavior and management while working full time (00:24:12)

13. Forging ahead to earn a doctorate, committing to vision board and setting example for daughter (00:24:51)

14. Children never having a thought of dropping out of school and attaining degrees on their own, family interest in learning (00:27:08)

15. Moving to VA, along with mother and brother (00:28:51)

16. Working as a HUD certified counselor and overseeing housing program in VA (00:29:34)

17. Working at UVA researching Thomas Jefferson's enslaved laborers (00:30:18)

18. Developing interest in genealogy and research skills; learning ancestor was a slave (00:32:24)

19. Emotional impact of research, encountering actual bill of sale document for 12 year old slave Priscilla (00:37:07)

20. Learning about family racial mixture; realizing family makeup reflects American history; staking claim to this country (00:42:15)

21. 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 (00:44:18)

22. 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 (00:49:06)

23. Reaction of white James's descendants when learning they were mixed race (00:52:49)

24. Not knowing when or where great grandfather William Michael Murphy was born (00:54:14)

25. Discovering Revolutionary War patriot John Boyer, meeting white descendant (00:56:22)

26. Having to choose a race although of mixed heritage, identifying as American with African Ancestry (00:58:53)

27. John Boyer's Revolutionary War service (01:03:06)

28. 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 (01:03:46)

29. Feelings after learning of patriots; mission to help other women of color join (01:06:01)

30. Identifying and working on getting seven additional patriots approved by DAR; wanting to earn more ancestor bar pins (01:07:19)

31. Joining DAR because was not wanted before, feelings of pride and believing in DAR's mission (01:12:14)

32. Experiences as a new DAR member (01:16:41)

33. Reaction from others about membership in DAR, discussing Marian Anderson; finding more black patriots (01:18:13)

34. Trying to get son to join S.A.R.; brother joining S.A.R.; mother joining DAR (01:19:48)

35. Holding chapter board meeting at house, members feeling like family, mother contributing time crocheting to chapter (01:22:41)

36. Serving as chair membership chapter; idea for more community engagement through having people at the same table learning their histories (01:24:09)

37. Pride in ancestors' contributions to founding of the U.S. (01:28:55)