A History Of Tacam

TACAM th 30 Anniversary

TACAM Timeline „ „ „ „ „ „ „

Turks coming to America 1958 Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Turkish Crescent Association TACCM is created in 1972 New Name TACAM, 1976 TACAM Building, 1981 Future of TACAM

Turks Coming to America „

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Around WWI, thousands of Turkish men immigrated to Metro Detroit Auto Industry Single & Old Fashion Slowly Died Off

Suleyman Halil – Born 1886 in Erzurum Moved to America in 1910 to work for Ford Motor Company

Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs

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Fatin Rustu Zorlu visit in 1958 Key Speaker at the Detroit Economic Club Visited the local Turkish community in Michigan

Two Turkish Associations „

Detroit (Greek town area) „ „

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Small group lead by Nuri bey Organized as a club

Turkish Crescent Association „ „ „

Dearborn (building) Organized as an association Religious

Turkish Crescent Association „ „ „ „ „ „ „

Roughly 100 members in late 1950s President Malik bey, VP Mehmet Ali Needed a new young generation Nami Hazneci was VP in 1959 Only 15 members in 1969 Sold the Building in 1969 to Dearborn Donated $15,000 to Turkish Kizilay

What Next? „ „

No Turkish association Many new young Turks in Metro Detroit

The Roots of TACAM „

Many families had social events and kept their Turkish culture intact

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However, a few saw a vision to keep the Turkish culture in the future of Michigan

Visionaries of TACAM Celal Colak Nami Hazneci Naci Karca Baha Onder Nedret Tavlan Serap Gurol

Organizing TACCM „

1971 Cumhuriyet Bayrami „ „ „

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Restaurant in Ann Arbor More than 100 Turks attended the event Profits from the event were used towards

Milton Silverstein, lawyer First Meeting at Naci Karca’s house

Turkish American Cultural Center of Michigan May 12, 1972 Articles of Incorporation was filed with Michigan „ „ „

Celal Colak Serap Gurol Nami Hazneci

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Naci Karca Nedret Tavlan Adnan Varol

First Executive Board of Directors „ „ „ „

Nedret Tavlan – President Yildiz Hazneci – Vice President Serap Gurol – Treasurer Ayse Colak – Secretary

TACAM „

1976, the official name of the association was changed to:

Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan

TACAM Newsletter

The Role and Events of TACAM „

TACAM was an association with no building so many of the meetings were done at private homes and offices

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The parties were done at homes and a few at banquet halls

TACAM Events for All Turks and Americans

TACAM Picnics

TACAM Kid’s Club

Cultural Events within Michigan

International Institute in Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young

Ambassador Sukru Elekdag 1980 Visit

TACAM Building „ „

TACAM needs a place to grow and establish its roots, 1980 A Building Committee was established „

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First Meeting May 13, 1981

Donations to purchase a building „ „

$17,000 by June, 1981 (1 month) $39,000 by February 1982

Building Committee Kemal Goknar – President Co-Chairmen

Hami Hazneci – Eti Gursel – Selcuk Ozil Planning

Baha Onder Technical

Nasut Uzman

Fund Raising

Ayse Colak Search

Evelyn Sonbay

28847 Beck Road, Wixom, MI

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$112,000 – Purchased for $90,000 Closing Day: Dec, 12, 1981 Beginning of a New TACAM!

Open House „ „

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March 28, 1982 More than 100 Families attended the Open House More than 80 families donated on average $500 The Cultural Center belongs to everyone, whether $1 or $1000

The Foundation Grows

Children’s Club

Picnic Celebrations

Friends & Family

Dancing

Special Events

TACAM Helps the Community

Earthquake Collection

Adapazari School

TACAM Collected over $100,000

Presidents of TACAM

Nedret Tavlan 1972-1976

Gulseren Ovacik 1976-1978

Kamil Sonbay 1978-1980

Kemal Goknar 1980-1983

Fikret Dengiz

Kemal Goknar

1983-1986

1986-1987

Erol Ucer 1987-1988

Ahmet Bayar 1988-1989

Evelyn Sonbay 1989-1990

Attila Yaprak 1990-1991

Faik Gurocak

Bulent Gencel

1991-1993

1993-1994

Celal Colak

Cengiz Arici

1994-1995

1995-1996

Ersin Bayraktar 1996-1997

Yavuz Goktas 1997-1998

Nurten Ural

Mine Tasci

1998-2000

2000-2002

Sibel Koyluoglu 2002-2003

Birol Halacoglu 2003-2004

Canan Ozaktay

Leyla Ahmed

2004-2005

2005-2006

Mehtap Aksoy 2006-2007

2007-2008

TACAM TACAM is more than an organization about cultural identity and preservation; it’s about a warm, inviting place for new friends to meet, a place for old friends to share stories, and most importantly a place where all members have an equal voice, the voice of the Turkish American community in Michigan. Like an extended member of the family, over the past thirty years, TACAM has become an integral part of so many lives.

The Face of TACAM’s Future

Thank You!