African American Family Host Events For Fathers Day Weekend

SAN ANTONIO - June 11, 2023 - PRLog -- The descendants and friends of Jonah Henry Lampkin will host a family reunion June 17-18, 2023 in San Antonio,Texas. Deliberately planned in conjunction with Juneteenth, the purpose of this reunion is to educate families of their past; get to know one another; and inspire the next generation of to excel in every area of their lives by building a greater legacy.There will be a picnic program on Saturday at MacArthur Park in Bexar County, followed by praise and worship on Sunday at True Vision Church on the 2800 block of Ackerman Road. The reunion will conclude with a field trip to Ebbon Cemetery in Luling to visit family gravesites.

Jonah Henry Lampkin (1890-1963), the son of enslaved parents Henry and Peggy Dilworth Lampkin and later freed, lived in Luling, Texas (Plum Creek). Also an agricultural farmer in Seguin,Texas the father of children who have made positive contributions to the world such as educators, community outreach leaders and medical professionals to name a few.

Teaching family members about their past, especially given the current political and social climate, will translate into further genealogical studies. In preparation for the reunion, Fernando Rover Jr. of San Antonio, published author and great-grandson of Jonah Lampkin, recorded a live interview to educate the family on his research findings which go beyond oral histories and official records.

Fernando states, "I used Ancestry.com as well as Find a Grave.com a database to begin foundational research. A lot of it was sorting through death records, birth certificates and referring to stories my grandmother told me and who they were.As I was gathering information, it was a matter of confirming; asking questions with my grandmother and making educated guesses when faced with holes in the research. A lot of the influence and information came from my background in research. Having studied English and history, I'm able to interpret data as well as navigate databases using specific keywords and names."

Descendants represented at the reunion will reflect four generations of the lineage through the mothers of Jonah's children: Betty Fletcher, Ollie Sanders, Seawillow Williams and Pinkie Whitley. As we reflect on our past, the family will also celebrate accomplishments. The Lampkin family boasts five published authors and numerous entrepreneurs.

Additional activities include early Father's Day tributes and salutes to veterans dating back to World War II. A representative from NAMI of San Antonio (National Alliance of Mental Illness) will speak to the family on the importance of maintaining good mental health and recognizing its acceptable to seek professional help.

Steering committee members are Barron & Vickie Head, Latrice Porter, Sydney Randall, David Lampkin, Robert Lampkin, Amina Lampkin and Monique Lampkin. For more information visit www.legacyofjonahhlampkin.com (http://www.legacyofjonahlampkin.com/)