Alvin C. Adams

Daijah Abram

Photo from http://shaclackclack.tumblr.com/

Alvin Clay Adams Jr. was born on State Route 377 between Chesterhill and Sharpsburg, Ohio on April 30, 1937. After graduating from Coolville High School, Adams enrolled himself into Ohio University and in 1959 he became the first African-American journalism graduate from the university. After graduating, Adams married his college sweetheart Ada Woodson.

He then went on to work for the Chicago Defender. Adams spent most of his time writing about the black civil rights movement and covered Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963.

After leaving the Defender, Adams went to work for Jet magazine in 1965 where he covered the assassination of human rights activist Malcom X and interviewed many African-American icons such as Elijah Muhammad and Muhammad Ali.

Adams and his wife have two children, Amelia Adams and Alvin C. Adams III. After retiring as a full-time reporter and spending some time working in public relations, Adams moved back to the Athens area in 1998. In the following year, Adams and his wife co-founded the Multicultural Genealogical Center in Chesterhill, Ohio—along with Richard Wetzel, Stephen Smith, and Gracie Hill.

In 2002, Adams was the inspiration behind the African-American Research and Service Institute at Ohio University and he continued to work on and organize many other community projects until his unfortunate death in 2004.

In 2007, Ohio University honored its graduate by naming a newly built South Green residence hall in his name. In 2007, Ohio University posted an article with a quote from Ada Adams. "I'm so excited about the dedication ceremony--I can barely speak," she said. "Alvin would not believe it himself, and he would be so proud and thankful to Ohio University for this honor. Our entire family is just in awe!"​​