81:. Her maternal great-grandmother, Jennie Daisy Hood, was white and her maternal great-grandfather, Prince Albert Weaver, was black. On her father's side, Batchelor is descended from Isaiah Parker, a landowner who purchased an enslaved woman named Charity Ann from his father's estate and had seventeen children with her. She is also a descendant from William Wood, an Irishman who emigrated to the American colonies and served as a private 6th class in the Lancaster County Militia during the
185:. Batchelor applied to multiple Michigan chapters but was never contacted, until the Ezra Parker chapter responded to her inquiry. A chapter in California, upon hearing of her membership, questioned the validity of her genealogical proof and accused the National Society of improper behavior. Batchelor's membership was defended by Jeannette O. Baylies, the President General of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
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In 1979, Batchelor co-founded the Fred Hart
Williams Genealogical Society, which researches and preserves African-American family history. She also served as the National Vice Chair of Lineage Research for African American Patriots and Research. She is a member of the Women Descendants of the Ancient
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Batchelor practiced as litigator, worked in corporate law, worked as a lobbyist, and represented plaintiffs in a civil rights firm. In 1995, she stopped practicing law and founded The MichCon/Think Twice
Foundation's Block Club, which worked to bring local businesses, community organizations, and
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Batchelor grew up in a politically active household in the
Russell Woods neighborhood, as both of her parents were civil rights activists who kept many books about the history and struggles of African-Americans in their home library. Batchelor grew up attending the
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45:. As a genealogist, she co-founded the Fred Hart Williams Genealogical Society, which researches and preserves African-American family history. Batchelor is also a member of the
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to Alice Vivian
Dickinson, a schoolteacher, and Thomas Melvin Batchelor, a doctor who was the first African-American on staff, and the first African-American to teach, at
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in her youth. Batchelor attended nursery school at
Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church and was educated in
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132:, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. She earned a juris doctor from
37:, is an American lawyer, community activist, and genealogist. In 1977, she became the first-known
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residents together to revitalize neighborhoods in
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and was presented to society at The
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394:"Karen Batchelor: First black DAR member. Somebody has to. - Daughter Dialogues"
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Times, William K. Stevens
Special to The New York (December 28, 1977).
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In
October 1977, Batchelor became the first-known black member of the
77:. Batchelor's maternal grandfather, Frederick Dickinson, was from
306:"Karen Batchelor's ancestry research helped her make DAR history"
173:, and over two-hundred other news publications. She appeared on
348:"A Detroit Black Woman's Roots Lead to a Welcome in the D.A.R."
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Batchelor was married, but later divorced, and has one son.
191:Associated Daughters of Early American Witches
51:Associated Daughters of Early American Witches
372:"This Week in Black History (December 25–31)"
85:. She had ancestors that fought for both the
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43:Daughters of the American Revolution
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614:Cass Technical High School alumni
134:Wayne State University Law School
609:American people of Irish descent
415:"Karen "Batchelor Farmer" Allen"
65:Early life, family and education
403:– via www.buzzsprout.com.
149:Genealogy and lineage societies
124:She majored in anthropology at
117:. As a young woman, she was a
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589:20th-century American lawyers
579:21st-century American lawyers
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464:"The DAR's Changing Image"
115:Cass Technical High School
107:Camp Fire Girls of America
83:American Revolutionary War
634:Oakland University alumni
360:– via NYTimes.com.
490:"Her historical search"
128:before transferring to
91:Confederate States Army
629:Fisk University alumni
436:"Daughter No. 623,128"
111:Detroit public schools
69:Batchelor was born in
35:Karen Batchelor Farmer
18:Karen Batchelor Farmer
599:American genealogists
624:Lawyers from Detroit
176:Good Morning America
75:Sinai-Grace Hospital
27:American genealogist
594:American debutantes
468:The Washington Post
374:. December 25, 2014
159:Royal Oak, Michigan
351:The New York Times
270:Daughter Dialogues
170:Detroit Free Press
164:The New York Times
130:Oakland University
95:American Civil War
533:"Karen Batchelor"
492:. August 31, 2017
440:AMERICAN HERITAGE
266:"Karen Batchelor"
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512:"About Us"
217:References
87:Union Army
57:, and the
119:debutante
89:and the
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71:Detroit
542:May 1,
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