The Boyd/McCormick family can be traced back over a century and a half ago to the seaport town of Jamestown, Virginia. A young lad about fourteen braved the dreadful Middle Passage of the Atlantic Ocean. His name was John A. Boyd. He married Mattie Gibson Boyd and two generations later, with the marriage of Isaiah Lawrence Boyd, Sr. and Mamie “Texanna” McCormick Boyd, there was established a lasting bond between the Boyd and McCormick families.
In the early seventies, Frank McCormick, Sr., brother of Mamie McCormick, discussed the possibility of organizing a Boyd/McCormick Family Reunion. He was inspired by a visit to Roxboro, North Carolina during the late sixties. During this visit, he renewed old acquaintances and met many family members for the first time.
Elizabeth McCormick Blackman, daughter of Frank McCormick, Sr., Estelle “Candy” Boyd Cooper and Mattie B. Boyd Johnson, daughters of Mamie McCormick Boyd and Isaiah Lawrence Boyd Sr., further discussed the need to establish a family reunion following the death of Frank McCormick, Sr., finally, it happened!
The Boyd/McCormick family reunion became a reality in 1974 when Elizabeth “Bessie” and her husband, Douglas D. Blackman and family hosted our first Boyd/McCormick Reunion at their home in Columbia, South Carolina. This reunion was held during the last weekend in July and this tradition has continued throughout the years. At this reunion, Reverend Nathaniel Boyd was elected President and Elizabeth “Bessie” Blackman was elected Secretary.
In 1975, Estelle Boyd Cooper and her husband, Robert Cooper and family in Chicago, Illinois hosted the second reunion.
In 1976, Isaiah Lawrence Boyd, Jr. and his wife, Annie Mae Boyd and family in Roxboro, North Carolina hosted the third reunion. At this reunion Willie Frank Boyd was elected President of the Boyd McCormick Family Reunion.
In 1977 Mattie B. Boyd- Johnson and her husband, Lonnie Johnson, Sr., and family in Philadelphia, PA hosted the fourth reunion. At this reunion the Johnson family dedicated the Boyd/McCormick Family Flag as a symbol of family unity with the hope that it would be displayed at each reunion in the future so that family members could renew their pledge to family unity.
In 1978 family members traveled 3,000 miles across country to Pittsburg, California to attend the fifth reunion hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Frank McCormick, Jr. and family.
The sixth reunion was held in Rock Hill, South Carolina in 1979 and was hosted by Reverend Nathaniel Boyd and his wife, Willie Mae Boyd and family.
In 1980, the seventh reunion was held in Columbia, South Carolina and was hosted again by Bessie and Douglas Blackman and family.
The eighth reunion was held in Baltimore, Maryland in 1981 and was hosted by William H. Boyd and his wife, Ethel Boyd and family.
In 1982, the ninth reunion was held again in Chicago, Illinois and hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cooper, Sr. and family. At this reunion, Barbara Boyd, wife of Wardell “Bobby” Boyd, was elected secretary.
The tenth reunion was held in Durham, North Carolina in 1983. Willie Frank Boyd and his wife, Earnstine Boyd were our host and hostess. They chose to focus on “A Decade of Togetherness” as we once again reunited as one family.
The eleventh reunion was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1984 and was hosted by Mattie B. Boyd- Johnson and her husband, Lonnie Johnson, Sr., and family.
In 1985, Ida Boyd- Greene and family in Roxboro, North Carolina hosted the twelfth reunion.
The thirteenth reunion was held in Matteson, Illinois in 1986 and was hosted by Wardell Boyd and his wife, Barbara Boyd and family.
Reverend and Mrs. Frank McCormick, Jr. and family hosted the fourteenth reunion in 1987 in Stockton, California.
In 1988, the fifteenth reunion was held again in Baltimore, Maryland and was hosted by William H. Boyd, Sr. and Ethel Boyd and family.
Willie J. McCormick and his wife, Katie McCormick and family in New York, New York hosted the sixteenth reunion in 1989.
Hattie Boyd, widow of Benjamin Boyd, Sr. and Ann. Boyd, widow of Robert Boyd, Jr., along with Alvin Boyd, hosted our seventeenth reunion in Columbia, South Carolina in 1990.
Brenda Cooper Hanson, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cooper, Jr., along with Mr. and Mrs. Derrick Cooper, hosted our eighteenth reunion in Austin, Texas in 1991.
Reverend Nathaniel Boyd and wife, Willie Mae Boyd, in Rock Hill, South Carolina in 1992, hosted the nineteenth reunion.
Reverend and Mrs. Booker T. Boyd, Jr., and family hosted the twentieth reunion in 1993. This reunion was held in Durham, North Carolina. The theme was “Two Decades of Togetherness” to celebrate twenty years of gathering to celebrate our heritage. At this reunion, Debra Giles was elected Secretary.
Waddell “Bobby” Boyd, Estelle Cooper and Jacklyn Cooper-Williams hosted the twenty-first reunion in Chicago, Illinois in 1994.
The twenty-second reunion was held in Durham, North Carolina in 1995. Willie Frank Boyd and his wife, Earnstine Boyd were our host and hostess.
The twenty-third reunion was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1996 and was hosted by Mattie B. Boyd Johnson and family. They chose as a theme, “United In Faith, Hope and Love”. At this reunion the Philadelphia family presented the Boyd- McCormick family a quilt. This quilt is symbolic of a continuous, illustrative record of our past reunion sites. It also symbolizes the love and unity we share. The quilt was handmade by Mattie B. Boyd Johnson, who at the time was eighty-four years old.
The twenty-fourth reunion was held in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1997 and was hosted by Joseph Boyd and his wife, Nellie Boyd, Mrs. Gloria Boyd Jones and Elizabeth Gray
In 1998, the family convened in Columbia, South Carolina to celebrate its twenty-fifth reunion. This event represented a milestone in the existence of the Boyd/McCormick family. Mr. & Carl McCormick and Mr. & Mrs. James Boyd families were our hosts. The theme of this reunion was “We’ve Come This Far By Faith”.
Reverend Virginia Wilmore and the family of the late Reverend Nathaniel Boyd hosted the twenty-sixth reunion in Rock Hill, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina in 1999. The theme chosen was, “Developing a Stronger Relationship With God and Stronger Family Bonds”.
In 2000, Alice Boyd Simpson and Walter J. Boyd hosted the twenty-seventh reunion in Baltimore, Maryland in the new millennium.
Deborah Boyd and family hosted the twenty-eighth reunion in Raleigh, North Carolina in 2001. The theme was “Boyd/McCormick. Family On The Move”.
Jose and Lucy Diaz and family, the daughter of Reverend Booker T. Boyd Jr. and Lucy Boyd in Dallas/Mesquite, Texas hosted the twenty-ninth reunion in 2002. They chose the theme, “It’s All About Him”.
The Chicago family, with the theme, “Reflections of the Last 30 Years” hosted the 2003, thirtieth celebration. This event represented a milestone in the existence of the Boyd/McCormick family.
The thirty-first reunion commenced in Atlanta, Georgia in 2004 and was hosted by the children and grandchildren of the late Benjamin Boyd, Sr. and Alvin Boyd. The theme chosen for this reunion was “Where There Is Unity! There Is Strength”. Lucy Boyd- Diaz was elected reunion secretary at this reunion.
The Philadelphia family, chaired by Alfred and Denise Ellison, hosted the
thirty-second reunion in 2005 in Plymouth Meeting, PA with the Theme: “Journey with a Purpose”.
Rev. Virginia Wilmore and Family in Rock Hill, SC hosted the thirty-third reunion in 2006.
Ida Boyd-Greene and Family in Greensboro, NC hosted the thirty-forth reunion in 2007 with the Theme: “Getting Reacquainted from State to State”.
The thirty-fifth reunion was hosted by Rev. & Mrs. Robert Boyd, Alice Boyd Simpson and Walter Boyd in Baltimore, MD in 2008 with the Theme: “On the Grow”.
The thirty-sixth reunion was hosted by Danny Greene, Ron Boyd, Deborah Leland and Robert Boyd III in Charlotte, NC in 2009 with the Theme: “Never Would Have Made It”.
Mitchell & Velma Boyd Lawson, Nicole Malachi and LaTannia Ellerbe in Wake Forest, NC hosted the thirty-seventh reunion in 2010 with the Theme: “Embracing Our Diversity” Acceptance and Tolerance.
Jose and Lucy Diaz and Family in Kempner, TX hosted the thirty-eighth reunion in 2011 with the Theme: “A Family Legacy”.
Carl and Patricia McCormick, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 2012, hosted the thirty-ninth reunion.
Gloria Boyd, in Memphis, Tennessee in 2013, hosted the fortieth reunion.
Linda Boyd, the daughter of Roosevelt Boyd, Sr. hosted the hosted the forty-first reunion in 2014 in Durham, North Carolina. The theme was “Origin of Greatness”. At this reunion Willie Frank Boyd named president emeritus after 38 years of service. Carl McCormick was elected as our third president.
The Philadelphia family, with the theme, Reminiscent of our Past and Present, hosted our forty-second reunion, in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and was chaired by Elizabeth Bell and co-chaired by Denise Ellison, granddaughters of Mattie B. Boyd- Johnson and Lonnie Johnson, Sr.
Derick Cooper and Texas family members hosted the forty third reunion in Houston, Texas in 2015
The forty-fourth was held in Charlotte, NC. The reunion was hosted by Michael Laurence & Shireka Gentry and the reunion host committee chose the theme “Faith, Family and Friends.” The reunion banquet was held at Johnson C. Smith University (Biddle Hall). George Boyd, James & Susan Boyd, Lauryetta Gentry, Michael Lawrence & Shireka Gentry are graduates of Johnson C. Smith University.
The forty fifth reunion was held in Charleston, South Carolina; hosted by the descendants of Emma McCormick Bethea Starks: the children of Willie Starks, Sr; Audrey and Martin Lane, Janet Starks, Karen Starks, Willie and Tonya Starks, Jr., their aunt Emma Starks Jenkins; along with BJ Washington and their mother Helen Washington and grand children. Emma McCormick Bethea Starks was the sister of Frank McCormick, Sr. The theme: “Our Roots and Our Love Run Deep”.
Burlington, North Carolina was the city for the 46th Boyd-McCormick Family Reunion. Harriet Pimpong and Tauheedah Boyd, granddaughters of Isaiah Boyd, Jr. were the hosts. The theme for this enlightening reunion was, “Striving for Healthy Hearts Through Love and Fitness”. The family picnic was held at Joe C. Davidson Park, and the family gala was held at the Drury Inn and Suites Burlington.
In December 2019 there was a report of a new virus that was rapidly spreading in a province of China. This infectious disease was transferred by small droplets when talking, coughing, sneezing or from surface contact. Symptoms ranged from mild to severe and included: fever, dry cough, loss of smell, shortness of breath and in many cases, no symptoms at all. It left illness and death in its wake without a cure or control. Some of its names: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Corona, ’Rona’ and many more. This disease eventually reached the U.S with a confirmed death by February 2020. It was classified as a pandemic in March 2020 as it hit densely populated cities in the U.S.A. and abroad.
The 47th Boyd-McCormick Family Reunion was to be held in Atlanta, Georgia; hosted Krissy Daley, Marc and Natasha Cain of the Mattie Johnson Family. In March, Atlanta was starting to experience a rise in Corona cases leading to school, church, non-essential business closures and stay at home quarantines. Additionally, health experts confirmed the virus could spread asymptomatically and recommended social distancing and no large group gatherings. We decided as a family to postpone our scheduled reunion for July 2020.,
In June 2020 Linda Boyd, IT Coordinator-Boyd McCormick Family Reunion, had an idea for a virtual reunion. Lauryetta Gentry had an idea for a t-shirt that would be mailed to family members, with the proceeds going to the support of the 50th Boyd-McCormick Family reunion. By the grace of God and dedication of many family members; the virtual reunion was a success.
During the weekend of Friday July 24th through Sunday July 25th the 2020 Boyd-McCormick Virtual Family Reunion occurred on ZOOM, a video conferencing website. The theme ‘unbreakable’. This reunion was administrated by Linda Boyd and closely followed our usual reunion agenda. On Friday Lucy Diaz opened our reunion with prayer. There was a meet and greet, storytelling, roll call and breakout rooms with games and music. We wore t-shirts bearing ‘unbreakable’ while eating fish. On Saturday there was a Cup Cake Cook Along, hosted by Andrea Wright. A Zumba workout led by Harriet Pimpong. Krissy Daley did a Paparazzi Jewelry presentation. The banquet of pasta themed meals, consisted of Markieth Gentry leading the memorial service; Elizabeth Bell doing acknowledgements; a mini concert by violinist Latannia Ellerby and a jewelry show by ‘The Jewelry Lady” Lucy Diaz. Laurence Gentry was the speaker for Sunday services. Later in the afternoon there was a paint party with Denise Ellison and Patricia McCormick as facilitators.
The 48th Boyd-McCormick Family Reunion was to be held in Orlando, Florida, July 2021, hosted by the Robert H. Boyd Family. Due to the continued COVID-19 threat and mandates by some of the venues, the reunion was changed from face-to-face to virtual, as in 2020. We met on the weekend of July 23-25 via ZOOM. The event was co-hosted by Ebonee Gadson and Deanna Taylor, great-grand daughters of Robert H. Boyd. Again, we enjoyed the capability of connecting as a family reunion through modern technology.