family reunion

The Kent-Lucas family reunion celebrates 46 years!

Congrats to the Kent-Lucas family, which celebrated its 46th family reunion this past weekend! I was honored that Black Wide-Awake was helpful to the family in documenting its ancestors and was thrilled that Rev. James Robert Kent shared with me the family history report distributed to attendees. The report contains priceless oral history accounts, as well as copies of marriage and death certificates and of funeral programs, as well as posts from Black Wide-Awake.

Kudos to the Kent-Lucas family historians, who are doing this thing right!

Get to know your people; or, it’s reunion season.

Effenus Henderson (left) is an internationally known human resources and diversity thought leader. Wade J. Henderson (right) is, among other things, former president of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. About 15 years ago, the two met at a National Urban League conference.

“You’re from North Carolina?,” asked Wade. “My father was from Wilson.”

“You need to talk to Lisa,” said Effenus.

Wade did. And in 2016, there we all were — in Dudley, North Carolina, birthplace of our grandparents, at the Henderson Family Reunion.

Wade’s grandfather Jesse “Jack” Henderson and my great-grandmother Bessie Lee Henderson were siblings. Jack came to Wilson around 1908, and my grandmother Hattie Henderson Ricks, Bessie’s orphaned daughter, arrived a few years later. Wade’s father Dempsey Lee Henderson was born in Wilson in 1927, and my father Rederick C. Henderson in 1934.

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Is your Wilson County-based family having a reunion this summer? I’d love to feature it here — and add your reunion flyer or program to my collection!

Photo in collection of Lisa Y. Henderson, 2016.

Pullman porter Reed returns to his roots.

Chicago Defender, 16 June 1951.

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  • Samuel Reed

On 20 November 1877, Shade Reed, 23, married Susan Edwards, 21, in No. 8 township, Edgecombe County, N.C.

In the 1880 census of Sparta township, Edgecombe County, N.C.: farmer Shade Reid, 25; wife Susan, 23; and son Ross, 1.

In the 1910 census of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana: farmer Shed Reed, 55; wife Caroline, 45; and children Sammie, 24, Lossa, 24, and Ossa, 21, all born in North Carolina.

On 27 February 1913, Samuel Reed, 28, married Mary Hamilton, 29, in Chicago, Illinois.

On 22 November 1916, Samuel Reed, 31, married Mary J. Wright, 23, in Chicago.

In 1918, Samuel Reed registered for the World War I draft in Cook County, Illinois. Per his registration card, he was born 22 July 1885; lived at 6204 Ada, Chicago; worked as a Pullman porter for Pullman Company, Chicago & Alton Railroad; and his nearest relative was wife Mary J. Reed.

In the 1920 census of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois:  at 6145 South Ada, railroad porter Samuel Reed, 34, and wife Mary, 25.

In the 1930 census of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois: at 6231 Racine, railroad porter Samuel Reed, 43; wife Birdie, 41; mother[in-law?] Ollie Smith, 65; and Elizabeth Walker, 19, xx.

In the 1940 census of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois: at 6016 May, owned and valued at #3000, Samuel Reed, 54, porter on steam railroad; wife Nancy, 39; and daughters Amelia, 16, and Elizabeth, 17.

In 1942, Samuel Reed registered for the World War II draft in Cook County, Illinois. Per his registration card, he was born 22 July 1885 in Edgecombe County, N.C.; lived at 6016 South May, Chicago; his contact was Louis Baler, 6142 South Ada, Chicago; and he worked for the Pullman County, Chicago.

In the 1950 census of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois: railroad company porter Samuel Reed, 64, and wife Nancy, 49.

  • Peter Randolph

In the 1940 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: Dan Randolph, 28, farmer; wife Mary, 26; children Paul G., 2, and Deloise, 1; and uncle Pete Randolph, 67, widower.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 608 Spring, Peter Randolph, 77, and wife Clockie, 67.

Peter Randolph died 4 March 1959 at his home at 510 South Spring, Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 4 July 1883 in Edgecombe County, N.C., to Robert Randolph and Julia Johnson; was a widower; and was buried in Elm City Cemetery. Mattie Ruffin was informant.

  • Patsy Feltie
  • Andline Cook

Wishing the Mitchell Family a great reunion!

Family reunion season continues, and I was thrilled when Tondra Mitchell-Talley shared news of the upcoming Mitchell Family Reunion. This Mitchell family descends from Primus Mitchell, born in the early 1840s, and his wives Caroline Mitchell and Ophelia Davis Mitchell. The Mitchells lived in Toisnot township, likely in the Sharpsburg area, which was once part of Edgecombe County. Their largest branch descends from son Lawrence Mitchell Sr., born about 1868, who eventually settled in Cross Roads township in southern Wilson County and married Easter Darden, daughter of Martin and Jane Dew Darden, and later Louisa Dew, daughter of Isaac and Easter Edmundson Dew.

The story of the resurrection of the Mitchell Family Reunion, which had gone dormant more than 20 years ago, is told at the National Family Reunion Institute’s website. It’s an inspiring tale of healing and redemption within a family and the role of reunions in making that possible.

Extra shout out to Tondra’s mother, Oazie Jones Mitchell, who graciously agreed to be interviewed as part of my exploration and documentation of the life in Wilson County before the Civil Rights era. 

Have a great reunion!

Wishing the Artis Family a great reunion!

Today, another branch of my Artis family — descendants of James C. Artis — is gathering in Wilson for their annual reunion.

James Cleveland Artis was the son of Jonah and Fannie Newsome Artis and the grandson of Richard Artis, who was the youngest brother of my great-great-great-grandfather Adam T. Artis. Though primarily based in Greene County, N.C., Richard Artis’ descendants moved back and forth across the Greene-Wilson county line between Stantonsburg and Walstonburg.

I wish my cousins a fantastic reunion and applaud their commitment to keep family ties strong and to maintain traditions.

Many thanks to Sondra Artis for sharing this photo.

[Update: The Artis Family Reunion was a resounding success! Douglas Horne and Sondra Artis share these photos of the J.C. Artis (top) and Jonah Artis Jr. (bottom) branches of the family.

Family reunion season!

I spent last Saturday morning in a Zoom meeting with attendees of the 2025 Freeman-Hagans family reunion. I talked about the “why” of Black Wide-Awake, introduced them to the blog’s format, and, best of all, showed them how to best access its content by visiting several recent posts related to branches of their family. If you’re interested in a similar presentation for your next family gathering, please contact me at blackwideawake@gmail.com. I want all my posts to find their people!

The Artis-Bunch family reunion.

You know I love a good family reunion — and especially one to which I have ties. I’ve blogged about the descendants of Adam Toussaint Artis, a free man of color whose large farm lay just a few miles outside Stantonsburg toward Eureka. Though these Artises are technically a Wayne County family, their multiple Wilson County links more than qualify them for a spotlight here.

This past weekend, the Artis-Bunch family reunion gathered on ancestral land — still in the family — to celebrate each other. This set of Adam Artis’ descendants spring from his son Henry J.B. Artis, to whom I am related via both Artis and Aldridge ancestors. The Bunches have close ties to the Black Creek area of Wilson County, as we’ve seen here and here.

Many thanks to cousin Melissa Walker-Mack for sharing these photos!

Edwards family holds 9th annual reunion in Elm City.

Like clockwork, the Edwards family gathers on the Fourth of July. This past Friday’s reunion was extra-special as the family also celebrated the 100th birthday of Amanda Mitchell Cameron. Mrs. Cameron was present at the very first reunion in 1934 and every reunion since, including this one in 1943:

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 17 July 1943.