MOBILE, ALABAMA, August 1987 --- By popular demand, August 8, 1987 found me back in this city in the capacity of keynote speaker for the FAMILY  REUNION OF DESCENDANTS OF LUCY AND ISAAC STALLWORTH, my  mother's grandparents on her father's side. Only a month ago, I had witnessed my brother, Alabama Representative Lucius Black, speak to descendants of EMMA AND JERRY MONTGOMERY, my mother's grandparents on her mother's side.

Other than having the honor of being chosen speaker, there were several things that were important to me. First, there was a special significance to having been  introduced by one of my brothers, Lewis, who is the twin of the Alabama State legislator. He and his family presented me with one of the two plaques that I received. The other one was presented by Herbert H. Stallworth, who, along with his wife, Yvonne, hosted the reunion at the DAYS INN, on Airport Boulevard.

Along with Lewis and Lucius, my oldest brother, Macadoo, and my sister Elmira Ophelia Black Clayton were in attendance, each with their families. All of the children of granddaughter Flossie Stallworth Webb were in attendance. They included Retired Air Force Master Sergeant Frank Webb of Orlando, Florida; Ceola Webb Williams of Indianapolis, Indiana; Flossie Webb Smith of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Rosa Webb Johnson of Sacramento, California. Frank was joined by his wife, Mildred, two of his children, Bobby and Brenda, a recent graduate of Eastern Michigan University. 

Probably my greatest surprise was to see such a large number of people who, came to the earlier reunion to return. Ceola and Flossie made return trips from Indianapolis. Retired Navy Chief Charles Ernest McBryde made a return trip from New York. Bobby Stallworth made a return trip from Fresno, California. And Dorothy Stallworth Calhoun, whose son Roderick lives in Washington, made a return trip from Dayton, Ohio, As expected, my mother's youngest brother, Charles D. Stallworth, as well as his son Charles, Jr., were in attendance.

  Bud Stallworth, a great-great-grandson did not make the trip from Hawaii, but I had a long talk with his mother, Mrs. Eva Henderson Stallworth. Her late husband, Isaac Stallworth, was an older brother of the reunion host. Mrs. Stallworth and I had a lot to talk about that included her famous son, who made All American in basketball at Kansas, after graduating from Morgan County Training School where her husband was the principal. That led to a brief career in the National Basketball Association with the Seattle Super Sonics and the New Orleans Jazz.

Family talk always ends up mentioning birthdays. This happened when were talking about "Bud." You see, in 1956, when Herbert and I were teaching together in Sycamore, Alabama, we drove up to Hartselle one weekend, to visit with Ike and his family. Bud sat on a stool while eating at the bar. The next time I saw him was at the Washington Capital Centre, while he played against the Washington Bullets. His January 18, 1950 birthday came up when we mentioned the death of his grandmother, Emma Stallworth, in the Fall of 1950. His father officiated the football game, while his youngest uncle, Daniel, a mathematics professor at Alabama State University, played quarterback. I played in that game, while Herbert, a student at Alabama State, carried the down box.

    Herbert and Dan, with whom I have shared many many experiences, were joined at the reunion by sisters Gertrude Stallworth Smith and Henrietta Stallworth of New York, Mary Stallworth Travis of Montgomery, and Augusta Stallworth Stokes of Mobile. You can see that it was not unusual to see Stallworth girls go out and seek another Stallworth. That's almost like my brothers, Lewis and Lucius, both marrying "Mildreds." Aunt Emma's children always appeared to be on a mission. It is best seen by looking at the reunion program.

   Mary, an accomplished musician, played the PRELUDE and one of her own taped renditions of "ODE To Big Papa." The Master of Ceremony was former Army Captain Sterling R. Stokes, Jr. He is currently Industrial Relations Supervisor for Pfizer Inc. of East St. Louis, Illinois. His sister. Bonita Stokes Moulds, gave the WELCOME. Their mother, Augusta Stallworth Stokes, who made a statement about the third generation, had also published a book about the 140­year old family. Herbert and Daniel were two of about 30 National Science Foundation Fellows at Atlanta University during the school-year 1960-61. One of Philadelphia Seven-Sixers Stars, Charles Barkley, had an uncle, Dr. Mark Barkley, who was a member of that group. Though Dan was not on program, I  am sure that he sat and contemplated publishing his third mathematics textbook.

Two brothers, Bennie McRae of Dayton, Ohio., and Jerry McRae of Tuskegee,  returned to the second reunion just to be among kinship. They are great grandsons of Emma and Jerry Montgomery, but they are not a member of the Isaac and Lucy Stallworth "set." If it needs describing; I can have Daniel to show it in "Veen Diagram" in his chapter on Set Theory. Not only is Bennie already working on  hosting the 1988 Reunion, he is talking about an "ALL BEATRICE REUNION" the following year. Leave it to. Bennie, he'll pull it off.

While I cruised at 41,000 feet on Delta Flight 718, on my return trip, I could not help but be reminded of the new names that I had come to call cousins. One cousin, Eugene Stallworth of Brewton, Alabama, asked me to call his daughter, Brenda, in Shepard Park. Little did I know that Eugene would call ahead to tell her that I would be calling. Eugene, who is an accomplished commercial artist,  took pride in telling me that he was drafted into World War II before my oldest brother, Macadoo. They have been friends all that time.

One new address leads all the way to Omaha, Nebraska. It is one branch of the family that all ties seem to have been severed. But, because of Bennie McRae, and one telephone call, it is all joined again. Can you believe that Bennie and Jerry grew up in Selma? Their mother, Mabel Montgomery McRae, at 84, still runs her school in Selma, after retiring from the Dallas County Public Schools. Jokingly, I asked Charles Ernest McBryde if he knew where 1412 Slyvan Street was. He said, "I still own that house." This is down the street from the historic Brown Chapel AME Church. This is real history.