REUNIONS
The Coates, Harris, and Young families were affected by the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural south to the big cities, that occurred from 1915 to 1970. Many of the families left the area and migrated to Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Beaumont, Houston, Chicago, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Mississippi and California. They left in small numbers; some returned home to get a bride or husband, and sometimes their parents. They were taught by their parents that their life would be better than their parents. Many of them would hear about each other when they came home. George (Coates) Pleasant migrated to Houston, Texas and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, returned to Morganza in 1968 and along with family members from the Coates, Harris, & Young had the first family reunion. It was held in New Roads, at his sister, Lula Coates Lite Ashford, and her husband, David Ashford’s new brick home. Family members came back home to celebrate and to re-connect. For those persons who had been reared in the city, it was the first time they saw meat barbecued in the ground.
As time moved on the reconnection continued and as their children became adults, they had the financial means to travel or to call each other frequently. The next reunion would be initiated by Angie Coates Harris and O’Neal Young in the summer of 1992 in Beaumont, Texas. The reunion would re-start and renew relationships. It was felt that as the mainstays of the families were getting older the fourth generation children needed to get to know each other and to strengthen their bonds. This is happening, and the reunions have been continuing every two years. The migration of our families keep moving but the bonds are forever nurtured and strong.
The Coates, Harris, and Young families were affected by the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural south to the big cities, that occurred from 1915 to 1970. Many of the families left the area and migrated to Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Beaumont, Houston, Chicago, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Mississippi and California. They left in small numbers; some returned home to get a bride or husband, and sometimes their parents. They were taught by their parents that their life would be better than their parents. Many of them would hear about each other when they came home. George (Coates) Pleasant migrated to Houston, Texas and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, returned to Morganza in 1968 and along with family members from the Coates, Harris, & Young had the first family reunion. It was held in New Roads, at his sister, Lula Coates Lite Ashford, and her husband, David Ashford’s new brick home. Family members came back home to celebrate and to re-connect. For those persons who had been reared in the city, it was the first time they saw meat barbecued in the ground.
As time moved on the reconnection continued and as their children became adults, they had the financial means to travel or to call each other frequently. The next reunion would be initiated by Angie Coates Harris and O’Neal Young in the summer of 1992 in Beaumont, Texas. The reunion would re-start and renew relationships. It was felt that as the mainstays of the families were getting older the fourth generation children needed to get to know each other and to strengthen their bonds. This is happening, and the reunions have been continuing every two years. The migration of our families keep moving but the bonds are forever nurtured and strong.