YEARS OF MASON-PATTON FAMILY REUNIONS

1978–INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

The first family reunion was held July 1-4, 1978, in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The co-chairs of the reunion were Ada Clark and Lucian Patton. The reunion was held at the Marriott Inn.  Events included the meet-and-greet welcome on July 1, where registration packets also were picked up.  A picnic was held at Eagle Creek Park on July 2.  Family gathered for a fashion show on July 2.  A “pahtee” was held for the young at heart at the clubhouse of one of the Indianapolis committee members. The first family reunion banquet was on July 3, and was attended by more than 125 family members and friends.  The reorganization breakfast was on July 4, and the family voted to go to Chicago in 1981.

1981–CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

The second family reunion was held July 3-6, 1981, in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois.  The co-chairs were Millicent Tolbert and Doris Smith.  The hotel was a Holiday Inn.  The meet-and-greet event was on July 3, and registration packets were distributed. A luau, complete with family members in Hawaiian dress and leis, was on July 4. The banquet was on July 5, and was again attended by more than 125 family members and friends.  The reorganization breakfast was on July 6, and the family voted to go to New York in 1984.

1984–NEW YORK, NEW YORK

The third family reunion was held June 29-July 1, 1984, in downtown Manhattan in New York City.  The co-chairs were John and Willa Webb and Lacey Lytle. The hotel was the Sheraton Center.  The meet-and-greet event and registration pickup was June 29.  The family took a Circle Line Cruise around New York on June 30.  The banquet was on July 1, and approximately 120 family members and friends.  During the reorganization breakfast, the family voted to hold the reunion every other year because of the eldest family members and the concern that we were losing them.  Therefore, the next reunion would be in 1986, and the family voted to go to Las Vegas. 

1986–LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

The fourth family reunion was held July 2-6, 1986.  The scene was Caesar’s Palace on the Las Vegas strip.  The chair for the reunion was Lee Bryant; he was assisted by Millicent Tolbert.  The meet-and-greet event and registration pickup was July 2.  The family took a bus tour around Las Vegas that included a visit to the Ethel M Chocolate factory and a drive by homes of celebrities, such as Siegfried and Roy.  The banquet on July 5 included a Las Vegas style program. Approximately 75 family members and friends attended.  At the reorganization breakfast on July 6, the family voted to go to Detroit in 1988.

1988–DETROIT, MICHIGAN

The fifth family reunion, “Celebrate in ’88,” was held July 1-4, 1988, in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit, Michigan.  Fannie Wright and John Bebley were the co-chairs, with assistance by Elsa Brown.  The Hyatt Regency-Dearborn was the location. The meet-and-greet was on July 1; registration packets were distributed.  On July 2, the family took a bus trip to Windsor,  Canada, and that evening there was a combined pool party/costume party/talent show. The banquet, “The Big Event,” was on July 3.  Approximately 90 family members and friends attended.  At the reorganization breakfast on July 4, the family voted to go to Charlotte in 1990.

1990–CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA

The sixth family reunion was held June 29-July 2, 1990, in Charlotte.  John and Wanda Webb were the co-chairs.  There was a welcome reception where the registration packets were distributed at the Embassy Suites.  The family picnicked on June 30 and toured Charlotte.  That evening family members wore African dress, and dinner was held at an African-American art gallery. The banquet was on July 1.  As a part of the program, a Rites of Passage ceremony was conducted for our youth.  More than 90 family members attended.  At the reorganization breakfast on July 2, the family voted to return to Indianapolis in 1992.

1992–INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA 

The seventh family reunion was held July 2-5, 1992, in Indianapolis.  Deborah Johnson, Wanda Stewart and Bonnie Bond were co-chairs.  The Embassy Suites in downtown Indianapolis was the location.  The meet-and-greet was held on July 2, and registration packets were distributed. The family picnicked on July 3 at a park.  There was a talent show.  The banquet was held on July 4, and more than 125 family members and friends attended.  At the reorganization breakfast on July 5, the family voted to go to Columbus in 1994.

1994–COLUMBUS, OHIO

The eighth family reunion was held July 1-4, 1994, in Columbus.  Macie and Russell Hairston were the co-chairs. The Holiday Inn in downtown Columbus was the location. For the welcome event on July 1, some family members modeled African dress.  Additionally, dolls in African dress were exhibited.  On the bus tour of Columbus, the family visited the Ohio Historical Society. At the picnic on July 2, Mother Goose entertained the children (and some of the adults).   The banquet was held on July 3, and included a wedding—a first for our reunions. Approximately 85 family members and friends attended. At the reorganization breakfast on July 4, the family voted to go to Dallas in 1996.

1996–DALLAS, TEXAS   

The ninth family reunion was held July 3-6, 1996, in Dallas.  Raymond Johnson was the chair, with assistance from Deborah Johnson.  The Hyatt Regency Hotel was the location. The meet-and-greet on July 3 included the distribution of registration packets. Family members were all given cowboy and cowgirl hats to wear to the in-door barbecue on July 4 and invited to wear Western dress for a fashion show. Some even showed up as Native Americans!  The banquet was on July 5.  Approximately 85 family members and friends attended.  At the reorganization breakfast on July 6, the family voted to go to Miami, Florida.  

Miami did not come to pass.  The Chicago Connection stepped up and accepted the 1998 reunion.

1998–CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

The 10th family reunion was held July 2-5, 1998, in downtown Chicago.  Millicent Tolbert, Celestine Grice and Doris Smith were the co-chairs of the 10th-reunion celebration.  The location was the Swissotel. The meet-and-greet on July 2 included the distribution of registration packets.  On July 3, family members saw Chicago by water on the Spirit of Chicago.  The banquet was held on July 4, and the fireworks from the Chicago Pier could be seen from the banquet room.  Approximately 90 family members and friends attended.  At the reorganization breakfast, the family determined the year 2000 was going to be a hectic one because of the millennium celebrations and decided to wait until 2001 for the next reunion.  A reunion committee was formed with representatives from several branches of the family to determine where the 2001 reunion would be.  This would be the first time that no specific family member would host the reunion.  The family also voted to have it some other time than over the July 4th holiday.  It would be in late July. Where would we be in 2001?

2001–ORLANDO, FLORIDA

The 11th family reunion was held July 26-29, 2001, at the Delta Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida.  Kevin Webb and Elsa Brown were the co-chairs of the family reunion committee, which had representatives from the various branches of the family.  This reunion was arranged through regular conference calls with the committee.  The meet-and-greet event on July 26 included distributing registration packets and viewing a slide show presentation from past reunions. On July 27, family members attended a picnic luau around the pool.  The program that evening included presentations by several family members.  On July 28, the banquet was held.  Approximately 100 family members and friends attended.  At the reorganization breakfast on July 29, Atlanta was selected as the next location with John Webb III serving as chair.  A new reunion committee was formed with members from the various branches.  

2003–ATLANTA, GEORGIA

The 12th family reunion was held July 24-27, 2003, at the Embassy Suites at Buckhead, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. John and Candace Webb were the co-chairs.  Again, they were supported by the family reunion committee composed of representatives from various branches. A welcome reception was held in the Embassy Suites on Thursday. Registration packets were distributed. Friday morning the family took a bus tour to the Martin Luther King Jr Center.  This was followed by a picnic of barbecued chicken, ribs, potato salad and collard greens at Piedmont Park. On Saturday, some of the children and the young-at-heart went to the amusement park, Six Flags Over Georgia.  Others preferred to shop at the Lenox Mall and Phipps Plaza.  That evening the family gathered for the traditional banquet.  Approximately 100 family members and friends attended.  At the reorganization breakfast on July 27, Las Vegas was select as the site for the 2005 family reunion, with Tamara Thompson serving as chair. 

2005–LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

The 13th family reunion was held July 28-31, 2005, at the Imperial Palace Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada.  Tamara Thompson was the chair of the family reunion committee composed of representatives from various branches.  A welcome reception was held in the hotel on July 28; registration packets were distributed. On July 29, the family took a bus trip to Lake Mead, where we boarded a boat to cruise the lake and see Hoover Dam.  There was a “Christmas in July” gift raffle on the cruise.  The traditional family banquet that evening included a gathering for a group photo. Approximately 100 family members and friends dined and danced. At the reorganization breakfast on July 31, the family voted to hold the next reunion in 2008–30 years after the first one.  The decision was to return to the west coast and have the reunion in Los Angeles, California, with Stephen and Erika Webb serving as co-chairs.

In January 2007, several family members in Indianapolis suggested that because 2008 would be a 30-year anniversary, that returning to Indianapolis, the site of the first reunion, would be historically appropriate.  After several conference calls with the reunion committee, including Stephen and Erika Webb, the committee voted to move the 2008 reunion to Indianapolis, with the understanding that Stephen and Erika would have the right of first refusal as the chairs of the next reunion.  Eric Bond and Mary (Bodie) Jones are serving as chairs of the 30th anniversary reunion in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

2008—INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

The 14th family reunion was held July 3-6 in Indianapolis, Indiana, at the Embassy Suites in the center of downtown.  Eric Bond and Mary (Bodie) Jones were the co-chairs, supported by a committee made up of representatives from all family branches. On July 3, a well-attended reception was held that included a buffet and dancing to a DJ. The same DJ worked the banquet and the picnic. In a change of format, the family reunion banquet was held on July 4. We had the opportunity to mix and mingle with our many cousins as we dined at our assigned tables. The traditional memorial program and rite-of-passage ceremony were included. A slide show of photos from past reunions was shown.  On July 5, we had a picnic at Riverside Park, with a bountiful buffet prepared and served by the Indianapolis branch. We discussed the next reunion in 2010 and voted for a cruise, if costs could be kept low. Jennifer Darbeau would head the cruise committee. The second option was Memphis, Tennessee, and Macie Hairston would be responsible. We said our good-byes at the picnic because many family members would be leaving early Sunday morning. Approximately 155 family and friends attended the picnic, and 140 attended the banquet.

Follow-up during 2008 and 2009:  The committee determined that a cruise was not feasible. So the second option became the reality.

2010—TUNICA, MISSISSIPPI

The 15th family reunion was held July 22-25 in Tunica, Mississippi (outside Memphis, Tennessee) at Harrah’s Tunica Hotel Casino. Macie Hairston chaired the committee, and her daughter Claudine O’Grady was instrumental as the local arrangements family member. The planning committee was made up of representatives from all family branches. On July 22, the meet-and-greet reception included a mini-buffet and an opportunity for family members to pick up registration packets. Videos of previous family reunions were shown. On July 23, the family bused into Memphis to tour the Civil Rights Museum, an emotional experience. That evening the family reunion banquet was held; everyone dressed in white attire. The family photo was taken. The traditional memorial program and rite-of-passage ceremony was held. Cousins danced the night away to a wonderful DJ—the wait staff joined in by lip-syncing and dancing to a tune or two. On July 24, we had lunch at the resort and had our business meeting to plan for 2012. After much discussion, the family voted on Chicago for 2012 following a heart-felt presentation by Robin Davis.  Robin said that she and her sister Valerie would be co-chairs. The current committee asked for new members to join the committee. A few volunteered. Following the lunch, the family took a boat ride on the Mississippi River. We had the opportunity to talk and mingle with family members Saturday evening at the “Take a Cousin to Beale Street” event.  Sunday morning we hugged and said our good-byes.  Approximately 82 family members and friends attended this reunion.

2012—CHICAGO, ILLINOIS

The 16th family reunion was held July 26-29 in Chicago, Illinois, at the Chicago Holiday Inn Mart Plaza Hotel—“Third Time Around in Terrific Chi-Town.” Robin and Valerie Davis were the co-chairs of the committee, which was made up of family members from the various branches. On Thursday, family gathered for the Meet-and-Greet and registration in the hospitality suite. The food was provided by a local soul food caterer.  On Friday we were bused to the Wildfire Restaurant for lunch, followed by special entertainment by our youth in the “Our Youths’ Got Talent” show.  We also had fun with a rousing family auction. Then some family members spent the afternoon at the Navy Pier. A pool party for the children was organized on Friday. Friday night cousins enjoyed a night out in Chicago.  Saturday morning the family went to the Dusable Museum. During the bus ride from the museum, we did some sightseeing on our way to lunch on our own in a neighborhood with numerous restaurants. A drive-by The Obamas’ Chicago home was part of the tour. The family reunion banquet was held Saturday evening. We were treated to musical selections. The traditional memorial program was held, as was the awards and recognitions program. The cousins danced the night away. Sunday we had the reorganization breakfast. After some discussion, Elsa Brown finally accepted the challenge of hosting the family reunion in Washington, DC, in 2014. A host of family members volunteered to assist. We then hugged and said our good-byes.  Approximately 127 family members and friends attended this reunion.

2014—WASHINGTON, DC

The 17th family reunion was held July 24-27 in Washington, DC, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. The theme for the reunion was “Washington, DC: A Monumental Experience.” Elsa Brown was the chair of the committee, which consisted of family members from the various branches. On Thursday, the Welcome Reception was the time for family to gather to greet one another, register and enjoy light refreshments. A slide presentation of past reunions was shown as family members became reacquainted. On Friday, during the 4-hour Black Heritage Bus Tour, family members explored the Washington, DC, area from an African-American perspective, including seeing the Frederick Douglass House, Howard University, LeDroit Park, the Lincoln Memorial and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, among other national sites. After returning from the informative tour, family members spread throughout the city by going to the Smithsonian Museums on the Mall, walking to the National Zoo, or shopping. Friday evening, there was a party for youths under 18. Later that evening, some adults journeyed to a casino in a Maryland suburb, while other adults partied in the nearby Adams-Morgan neighborhood. On Saturday, the family wore their reunion tee shirts for a tour of the White House. (No Obama family sightings, however!!) Saturday evening was the Gala Masquerade Family Celebration. The festive evening included an engaging ice breaker, where family members introduced themselves. Dinner was served, followed by the awards and recognitions ceremony. The traditional memorial service was next, followed by a special presentation titled “Voices from our Past, Present, and Future.” Then the family partied to the sounds orchestrated by DJ Rusty Redenbacher (our own Russell Johnson Jr)! It was a fabulous end to a great Saturday in the Nation’s Capital!  Sunday the reorganization breakfast was held. After much discussion, the family decided that Orlando, Florida, would be the location for the next reunion, and Eric Bond volunteered to chair the committee. This will be our 2nd time in Orlando. A large contingent of family members volunteered to work with Eric. Several new committee members will be responsible for developing a presence for the family on social media; communication is necessary to encouraging more family to participate in these wonderful reunions. We hugged and kissed and said our goodbyes. Approximately 133 family members and friends attended this reunion. 

2016—ORLANDO, FLORIDA

The 18th family reunion was held July 21-24 in Orlando, Florida, at the Embassy Suites Orlando Jamaican Court. This was the second time in Orlando; the first time was in July 2001. The theme for this reunion was “The Magic of Family”; the mission was “Family: A Link to Our Past with a Bridge to Our Future.” Eric Bond was the chair of the committee, which was made up of family members from the various branches. Thursday evening was the welcome party and family game night. On Friday we had a family picnic, with delicious catered food. Saturday family members explored Orlando and its many amusements before gathering for the family reunion banquet Saturday evening. The dress code for this banquet was “dress to impress” in black and white with a splash of red! The memorial program was held, along with the awards and recognitions program. The family again danced and partied to the sounds orchestrated by DJ Rusty Redenbacher (our own Russell Johnson Jr).  After much discussion, the vote was taken that the 2018 family reunion would be in Columbus, Ohio, with Macie Hairston as chair of the committee.  This will be our second time in Columbus—our first time was in 1994. Approximately 88 family members and friends attended the reunion.

2018—COLUMBUS, OHIO

The 19th family reunion was held July 19-22 in Columbus, Ohio, at the Embassy Suites Airport. Macie Hairston was the chair of the committee, which was made up of family from the various branches. The family reunion was celebrating its 40th anniversary; the first reunion was in 1978. The theme for the union was “Back Together Again in the Buckeye State.” On July 19, the welcome meet-and-greet event was a night to “represent”—family members wore attire that “represented” who and what they were. Some had to explain their attire; others were self-explanatory. Friday was the day for the family picnic at Turnberry Park’s shelter house. The specially designed reunion tee-shirts were worn as family ate, danced and sang Karaoke. Friday evening family members had several options: Hollywood Casino with a free concert by George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelics, the Columbus Jazz and Rib Fest, or shopping at the Easton Town Center/Polaris Fashion Mall. Saturday afternoon was a very special event: a slide presentation and discussion about the Mason-Patton family tree led by Julie Andrews. Invaluable information was provided, which led to fascinating stories told by some of our elder family members. This event was a highlight of the reunion. Saturday evening the family reunion banquet was held; white attire was the dress code. The family photo was taken, followed by a delicious buffet dinner. The program began. The younger family members—Kaylee Pinson, Jayden Redd-Lawrence, Kailee Freeman, Kelsey Kennebrew, and Grace O’Grady—led this program, which included songs, scripture readings, interpretative dance and prayer. The memorial program was held, along with the awards and recognitions program. The family again danced and partied to the sounds orchestrated by DJ Rusty Redenbacher (our own Russell Johnson Jr). Sunday morning family met to decide the time and location for the 2020 reunion. After robust discussion, the family decided to embark on a cruise in 2020! Eric Bond volunteered his service as chair of the committee. Because he has much experience with cruising, he was overwhelmingly the best choice. He said he would meet with the committee in early 2019 to present options for dates and location. Finally, a family reunion cruise!  Approximately 69 family members and friends attended the reunion.

2020—CRUISE TO COZUMEL, MEXICO

Family members were excited that the Mason-Patton Family Reunion was finally going to occur on a cruise ship! This had been a long-time wish for the family. The committee chaired by Eric Bond began planning in February 2019 for the 2020 family reunion cruise to Cozumel, Mexico, on the Carnival Paradise cruise ship.  The dates were July 23-27, 2020. The committee began to meet often as it was necessary to meet the stringent financial deadlines set by cruise lines. However, as we began to plan, the country began to experience a health crisis—the coronavirus pandemic. The committee members watched the headlines related to this new health crisis and began to question whether this was the time for our family to plan this reunion cruise. The coronavirus pandemic was spreading. On April 19, 2020, the committee had a conference call and discussed options and finally decided that we needed to cancel the July 2020 reunion cruise out of concern for the health and safety of our family members. On April 20, 2020, we posted a notice on the Mason-Patton Family Reunion Facebook page so that our family members who had begun to made reservations with Carnival could contact the cruise line about getting their money back. Then on May 8, 2020, we posted the notice that Carnival Cruise Lines had officially cancelled the July 2020 Carnival Paradise cruise because of COVID-19. Sad!

We conducted a survey to determine where the family might like to go for the 2022 reunion. Indianapolis, IN, received the most votes. Family members volunteered to serve on the 2022 reunion committee, and Gilbert Johnson volunteered to chair.

2022—INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

The 20 th family reunion was held July 14-17 in Indianapolis, Indiana, at the Embassy Suites Indianapolis Downtown. Gilbert Johnson chaired the reunion committee which included members from the various branches. The theme of this reunion was “Standing on the Shoulders of Our Ancestors.” Thursday, July 14, was registration packet pick-up day. A welcome reception with light refreshments also was held. On Friday morning, July 15, family members toured the Crispus Attucks High School Museum; this high school had been attended by many of our family members. The museum was opened specially our family. The family reunion picnic was held at Garfield Park and was catered by several of our family members. The food was delicious! This was the day we wore our reunion tee-shirts. We were entertained by the comic stylings of our own Crystal Jones; she also provided music. On Saturday, July 16, we learned History more about our family at the Genealogy Workshop. Several new family members were introduced; they found us through Facebook and Ancestry.com. Julian Mathews, also known as Loschil, treated us to a poem he had written about family. Saturday evening was the family banquet, which included the family group photo. The colors for the banquet were based on the
Indy 500 race theme: black and white with a splash of red. The program began with an ice breaker—“Find Someone Who. . .?” Family members had to answer questions by getting the name a family member who fit that specific role. Frivolity ensued! We then dined on a sumptuous buffet. After dinner, the remainder of the program began with awards, the memorial service and family reflections. Loschil was asked to repeat his poem. And then we danced.  Sunday, July 17, was the reorganization meeting. Claudine O’Grady and Karla Hairston gave a well-received presentation about holding the 2024 reunion in Cincinnati, Ohio. Various family
members volunteered to serve on the committee. Approximately 169 people attended this reunion, including 47 who were picnic only and 8 who were banquet only.

Updated and submitted by Elsa Brown
June 2023