One African-American’s Mission to Preserve His Family’s Rural History
For the past 15 years, Albert “Peter” Datcher Jr. has been tracing his family history from slavery to farming in a small rural, predominately white town in Shelby County, Alabama.
Six generations have slept in the 1,500 square foot modest home in Harpersville, a small town thirty miles southeast of Birmingham, including the slave Lucy Baker. Lucy Baker is Albert’s great-grandmother. She and her husband, Albert Peter Datcher, were slaves in the 1800s and went on to become successful farmers, landowners, and community leaders.
As a young boy, Datcher heard lots of stories about his ancestors from his mother, but at the time did not care much. It wasn’t until he turned 50 and visiting his great-grandfather’s gravesite that he wanted to learn more.
He and his wife searched online, went to the local library and churches but came up with very little. Then he remembered four trunks his mother Ruth had saved. Inside, he found hundreds of family photographs, the original deed to the farm, and medical records of hundreds of babies delivered by his great-grandmother.
Datcher wanted to be sure African-American contributions to Harpersville were recognized. In 2012, he turned over copies of all his family’s memorabilia to the Alabama Department of Archives and History where it was later part of a special exhibit, and to the Shelby County Historical Society.
Datcher sits on the Shelby County Historical Society Board. He takes students on tours through the Datcher house, exposing them to a period of local history they rarely learn or hear about first-hand.
He’s also continuing to collect stories, not just about his family, but about others from that time.
The Datcher farm remains one of the largest African-American-owned crop farms in Shelby County.
Crew of fatal US military crash included Alabama father recently deployed
The six U.S. service members who died in the crash of a U.S. military refueling aircraft included an Alabama father who had just been promoted and deployed. The U.S. government released the identities of the deceased service members Saturday.
Alabama poised to drastically overhaul utility regulation. Will it lower electric bills?
The Alabama Senate unanimously voted to expand the public service commission, and create a Secretary of Energy to address rising electricity prices. A bill in the House would go even further, requiring rate case hearings and limiting utility profits.
Musher from Alabama is going for back-to-back Iditarod wins
Riches and paid appearances haven’t followed Jessie Holmes since he won the world’s most famous sled dog race, the Iditarod, last year. He doesn't mind.
Bill would move Alabama to closed primaries
Right now, any Alabama voter can participate in a primary election. Lawmakers in Montgomery took up a bill this week that would change that system.
Auburn football player uses NIL funds to open a community hub in Birmingham
Jourdin Crawford, a freshman defensive lineman at Auburn, used earnings from a Name, Image, and Likeness deal to give back to his hometown.
Ivey commutes death sentence of inmate whose accomplice fired fatal shot
Charles “Sonny” Burton was sentenced to death for the killing of Doug Battle during a 1991 robbery. However, another man shot Battle when Burton had left the building.
