The Beginnings of a Reunion

Long, long before the idea about having a family reunion was formed in anyone’s mind, were “Unions”!

These unions were the marriages of a Freeman son to a Colbert daughter AND the marriage of a Freeman daughter to a Colbert son!

 

Robert Freeman (son of Tom Freeman and Ada Johnson) married Hattie Colbert’s daughter, Willie Mae Colbert. And just to keep things in the family; Robert’s sister, Jewell Freeman wedded Hattie Colbert’s son, Jerry McCoy "Doc" Colbert! Now, that’s really how the beginnings of this unique (yet, delightful and wonderful) FREEMAN-COLBERT clan started-up!

 

Okay… The Freeman-Colbert Picnic (now “reunion”) originated in 1968, as a result of kin-folks just talking. Willie Mae Colbert Freeman (wife of Robert Freeman; who was also a brother of Jimmy Freeman of Concord, NC) had always been concerned about getting the family together for, something other than a funeral. So, one day she said, “Let’s have a Picnic, so all of our relatives will come home. We’ll just barbeque a hog and enjoy one another!” So, Robert Freeman (of Colbert, GA – Madison County) gladly donated a spot of land on his property which he specified would always be considered “free land” … to be used for the Family Picnic [under the supervision of (his) children]. Harold Moon (of Chicago, IL) cheerfully agreed to donate the pig – which was used for that very first Family Picnic, and Doc Colbert was regarded as the master hog cooker.

 

At last … The tradition caught on! The Chicago, ILLINOIS and Detroit, MICHIGAN family members began having more picnics/reunion, in those cities as well! It was equally important that: (some time later) under the direction of Bobby Colbert (son of Nina Bel Colbert – of Detroit, MI), it was finally decided, the family would have one “GRAND REUNION” each year. Furthermore, that Grand Reunion would rotate between the three states (Georgia, Michigan and Illinois).

[NOTE: The families of each state continued, after 1968, to have a local reunion annually – But agreed to serve as “Host” for a Grand Reunion, alternately; every three years.]

 

As the years passed; the tradition continued, as each of the three states rotated the Reunion. Nonetheless, it was the branch of MARYLAND family members, who fanned their frames of kindred spirit – and hosted their first Grand Reunion in 1993 (within the Washington, D.C. area) … thus becoming the fourth official Grand Reunion location! From that year forward, the flames of the FREEMAN-COLBERT REUNION burned fiercely, as the family faithfully continued the celebrations of love.

 

We find that additional years passed by; in due time, the Freeman-Colbert Family decided to organize an Off-Site Reunion!

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina was the chosen location for the family’s first Off-Site Reunion. Soon, the first was followed by Chattanooga, Tennessee and then New Orleans, Louisiana (2005), as some of the family members’ most memorable off-site cities!

 

As history (and growth of the Reunions’ popularity) would have it … NORTH CAROLINA was unanimously voted in, as the fifth official state, to become a new Grand Reunion location! [North Carolina officially entered the “rotation” following the 2018 Grand 50th Anniversary of the Freeman-Colbert Family Reunions that was held in Atlanta, GA.]

 

Now … TOGETHER, we look aback upon the glorious past, engulfed with the warm memories of that first Picnic; through the winding years of an unbreakable bond of family relationships, deep friendships, and a shared-family treasure chest of great times! Time has passed and many relatives who envisioned and created these special family gatherings, are no longer physically present. Nevertheless, we will always remember them, their thoughts, their plans and their hopes for this

FAMILY to continue to unite in Love, Joy and Dreams of a future to come – TOGETHER.

 

The LEGACY continues…

 

**{This history is adapted from information submitted by the loving children of Jimmy Freeman and Lurlene McKeever Freeman; combined with other details offered and shared from the dear children of Robert Freeman and Willie Mae Colbert Freeman}

///Prepared by Robert L. Wright, Jr. (Husband of Gwendolyn Freeman Wright)