In so many ways, Ruth Ann Butler is a fearless fighter. She grew up in a textile town in the segregated South with a physical disability that kept her from doing many things other children her age could do. She faced many personal challenges-one involved putting her newborn son up for adoption-in an era when single mothers faced overwhelming social bias and daunting job prospects. That was the most heart-wrenching decision she ever made.But Ruth Ann doesn’t dwell on the negative or what could have been. She overcomes and moves forward. She overcame financial hurdles in pursuing her college education and when establishing the Upstate’s only black history museum. Through genealogy and historical research, she looks to the past for support, pride and direction for the future. In Greenville, SC, it’s hard to find anyone in the city’s leadership or community service fields who doesn’t know Ruth Ann Butler. She was born and bred in the city and her name is calling card enough when she gathers support for any of her projects. That wasn’t always the case as she has worked tirelessly over the years to build solid rapport with the community she has so loyally served. At 73, Butler balances many hats. She is a retired educator, local history and genealogy buff, research enthusiast, consultant, civil rights activist, museum curator, businesswoman, writer, author, avid storyteller, public speaker, community volunteer, an authority on African-American history in Upstate South Carolina and a devoted member of Allen Temple AME Church. She is also a loving sister, aunt, and proud mother of one son and grandmother of two. She founded the Greenville Cultural Exchange Center more than 29 years ago. The center has been an invaluable hub for information and activity surrounding black history in South Carolina.
