Tucker Rhodes Family Reunion History
The Tucker Rhodes Family Reunion is preparing for our 40th annual reunion to be held in Atlanta, GA and led by an emerging leadership team that will cement our legacy forever.
Where did it all begin?
In 1980 after seeing the blockbuster TV mini-series “Roots”, Samuel (Sammy) Rashada Sr. (Rhodes) was inspired to organize, get to know and unite his extended family from all across the country. He acknowledge the unifying of the extended family was always a dream of his late cousin, Willie Tucker, Springfield, Ohio, who passed on with this dream unfulfilled. Sammy decided to pick up the mantle and run with it.
In 1980, Sammy traveled from Cleveland, Ohio to his hometown of Springfield, Ohio to discuss the idea with his mother, Dazzie Tucker Rhodes. She of course embraced the idea with excitement and suggested they also meet with her nephew Roosevelt (Preacher) Stembridge. After a brief meeting with Roosevelt he was onboard.
Together they decided that the first reunion would be held in Springfield, Ohio in 1981. A planning committee was formed and the first family letter was sent to family members encouraging them to help preserve the family legacy by attending the reunion. The letter also articulated the vision to eventually establish a National Treasury that would house an educational fund to benefit our youth and a senior fund for the elderly.
Needless to say, the letter had impact and was the driving force behind making the first annual Tucker Rhodes Walker Family Reunion a reality. There were more than 200 family members in attendance from Springfield, Columbus, Dayton, Sparta (GA), Atlanta (GA), Detroit (MI), Miami (FL) etc. In 1987 the family unanimously agreed to change the name to Tucker-Rhodes because it more accurately reflected the Sparta, Georgia family roots. Since 1981, an overwhelming number of family members affectionately called the “Love Train” has traveled for 40 years, embracing family around the country. See complete list of cities below.
THE ROAD TRAVELED BY TUCKER-RHODES
1981 Springfield, Ohio 1982 Columbus, Ohio 1983 Atlanta, Georgia 1984 Miami, Florida 1985 Springfield, Ohio 1986 Sparta, Georgia 1987 Cleveland, Ohio 1988 Columbus, Ohio 1989 Newark, Delaware 1990 Detroit, Michigan 1991 Miami, Florida 1992 Dayton, Ohio 1993 Virginia Beach, Virginia 1994 Ocala, Florida 1995 Sparta, Georgia 1996 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1997 Chicago, Illinois 1998 Atlanta, Georgia 1999 Toledo, Ohio 2000 San Diego, California 2001 Virginia Beach, Virginia 2002 Toronto, Canada 2003 New Orleans, Louisiana 2004 Fairfield, Ohio *2005 Miami Florida and Cozumel Mexico 25th Anniversary Cruise 2006 Scottsdale, Arizona 2007 Atlanta, Georgia *2008 Nassau/Coco Cay Bahama 2009 Columbus, Ohio 2010 Las Vegas, Nevada 2011 Pigeon Forge, Tennessee 2012 Washington, DC 2013 New York City, New York 2014 Jacksonville, Florida 2015 Cleveland, Ohio 2016 Charlotte, North Carolina 2017 Cincinnati, Ohio
2018 St. Louis, Missouri
2019 Detroit, Michigan
2022 Atlanta, Georgia
* Indicates a Cruise