Jones Family Reunion History

Each year the Chicago Family and Friends had a get together, whether it was a bar-b-que or a picnic.  Each picnic had a theme.  The first recorded picnic (1972) was a luau and we all dressed in Hawaiian clothing with a lei around our neck.  The second picnic had a western theme and we were all dressed in cowboy outfits, hats and boots.

Around that same time, Grace (Reynolds) Wilson-Woods joined the African American Historical & Genealogical Society of Chicago (AAHGSC) and began to research the family history.  She began with her mother, Callie Frances (Jones) Reynolds and her siblings and then continued with her mother and father, Hattie (Williams) "Mama Jones" & Alexander T. Jones.  As Bernie Mac says on his show, "America it's on".

The picnics turned into the Jones Family Reunion as aunts, uncles and cousins from all over the United States were invited to come and join us in Chicago for a good time together.  The picnics were sponsored by family members and we selected the second week of July.  July was picked because it's always warm in Chicago in July.  (No one would come to Chicago for a reunion in cold weather).  The second week was chosen because the airfare would be cheaper than flying the week of July 4th.

Each time we came together there were new ideas discussed and changes made.  Changes such as: having the reunion in other cities with the host city sponsoring the picnic; having the reunion every other year to allow families to save up for the cost of traveling; forming a Family Reunion Committee, developing an email contact list; website resource for the reunion event, having a reunion fee to cover up front cost for deposits, t-shirts, etc., having names entered for the next committee positions at the reunion site; suggestion of the next Family Reunion city or site.

The Jones Family Reunion has traveled from Chicago to Memphis, San Diego, San Antonio, Vallejo, and Gatlinburg.  In July, 2007 we are on our way to Arkadelphia, by way of Hot Springs, Arkansas.  Our hotel site is Embassy Suites, Tuesday, July 10th through Sunday, July 15th.