Origin of Brewer Family Reunion

Origin of Brewer Family Reunions!

The late Thomas "Snooks" Nivens organized the first two Brewer Family Reunions with the help of his late wife Surluta, the late Thelma Murphy, the late Corrine Francis Fortune, Patricia Atkinson Williams and her brother William. Dr. Arthelia Brewer-Wright, and Dora "Sis" Brewer carried on the tradition. Subsequently, family members including the late Joyce Whitley, Dr. Coyness Ennix and the late Henry Blakeney who spearheaded the last reunion have carried on this fine tradition.

The first reunion was held in 1971 at Cantiaque Park in Hicksville, New York and well attended. It seemed the Brewers had been longing for such an occasion. A newspaper story about it appeared in Newsday, a major Long Island newspaper (see article).

The second family reunion (see article) was held in 1977 at the Holiday Inn in Westbury, Long Island. These two reunions led to subsequent reunions throughout the years in Charlotte, Pageland and Washington, D.C., and the creation of the Brewer Family Reunion books and ultimately this site.

Special thanks go to Dr. Arthelia Brewer-Wright for taking on the responsibility of keeping the family

reunions going. We thank her from the bottom of our hearts. Thanks also go to the late Joyce Whitley

for taking on the enormous task of writing the first "Brewer Family Reunion" booklet and to Arthelia for

the second one. What a great job! A million thanks!!!!!