Family tree has multicultural roots

By Candice Brooks

At 16-years-old, David Butcher had already developed an appreciation for his rich heritage. He worked an entire summer to earn the $75 he needed to buy his grandmother's last quilt.

"I knew that quilt would be the last one my grandmother would make. Today, that quilt is one of my most prized possessions," he said. Now, it is also a featured piece in an exhibit at the Kennedy Museum of Art until March 30.

Butcher and Alvin Adams, president of the Multicultural Genealogical Center (MGC), have turned their personal quests to learn their roots into a public enticement for others to trace their genealogies as well. "People of Color: A Multicultural Role in History" is a display of photos, paintings, historical documents and artifacts that unequivocally reveals people of color in Athens County contributed to American history.

Their family history starts with the union of a plantation owner's son, Michael Tabler, and a slave named Hannah. The marriage beat the challenges of racism during the time and created the roots of Butcher and Adams's family tree.

Center seeks to preserve history for future generations By Jaime Ciavarra Community and Campus Day gives insight into the heritage of African Americans in the Ohio River Valley, but the Multicultural Genealogical Center (MGC) in Chesterhill, Ohio, hopes to celebrate and teach such history, and that of all multiracial families, year-round, said Al Adams, co-founder of MGC. "History, as they say, is written by the survivor. In America, multicultural groups have generally been more the victim than the victor, and our histories are among the first to be forgotten" he added. "We hope to bring to light facets of history not taught in schools." MGC is a non-profit organization that documents the lives, histories and genealogies of multicultural families in the region. The center's resources are housed in the Chesterhill branch of the Kate Love Simpson library in Morgan County, and its goals are to collect written and electronic records, assist individuals and organizations in researching family history, and promote and improve public perception of multicultural heritage, Adams said. Above all, the center hopes to educate people in the region about its rich multiracial history through community and school programs. "One hundred years from now, what we know and preserve will be the source material for future researchers, including our own families," Adams said. MGC's monthly meeting includes programs that present information on the contributions of multiracial families to the social, cultural, political and economic development of the Ohio River Valley. For more information, contact Adams at (740) 448-1305. Jamie Ciavarra is a student writer with University Communications and Marketing.

Tabler, of German descent, moved from his father's plantation in Berkley County, Va., to Marshall County with Hannah in the 1820s, Adams said. On Jan. 2, 1830, Tabler freed his six children from the bonds of slavery by signing their "freedom papers." In the 1830s the family settled in what is now Kilvert, Ohio, about 17 miles from Ohio University's campus owning the first flour mill, according to Adams.

Descendents of the Tabler family have also served in the military fighting in many conflicts, including the Civil War.

"It's not enough to know your history but you need to carry that legacy on through your own accomplishments," Adams said. Adams graduated from Ohio University in 1959, becoming a Civil Rights activist and journalist for JET magazine and later helped found the center that helps others trace their history.

The Tabler family tree has roots woven through European immigrants, African slaves and Native Americans that create a rich multicultural legacy. Butcher and Adams encourage all people to learn their family histories.

Those attending Community and Campus Day on Feb. 15 will have an opportunity to shuttle between the event in Nelson Commons to the museum. Equipped with a theme of "A Tribute to Family," the event will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is sponsored by African American Studies and the MGC.

"From the exhibit I hope people can see how we are all connected beyond race," said Erica Butcher, community liaison for African American Studies. "People who focus on multicultural history in the area find the history amazing. But I encourage people to look into their own history and see how it is connected to this history. It is then that we can break down barriers."

Candice Brooks is a student writer with University Communications and Marketing.