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September 1990 Number 11

    The recipient of the 1990 Mance and Sarah Ann Oxford Memorial Scholarship ($500) was Tanya Perry. (There were no high school seniors who applied for the scholarship). Last year Tanya was a freshman at the University of Florida. She entered the university following her graduation from Jones High School where she received academic honors. In high school Tanya was a member of the honor society and had the second highest grade point average in her graduating class. She also excelled as a member of the Jones High School girls basketball and track teams.

This fall Tanya transferred to the University of Central Florida in order to be closer to home. She is a Business major. Tanya is the daughter of Vera Mae Thomas and the granddaughter of the late Arie D. Fordham-Jackson.

    MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! PLAN YOUR VACATIONS!! Don't forget the date!! July 6 & 7 (Saturday and Sunday). We will convene in Parrott and Albany, Georgia for our 2nd Oxford Family Reunion. We have outlined a tentative schedule of activities for the reunion and we will hold the list until we firm up the hotel arrangements. We are tentatively planning a picnic and barbecue for that Saturday during the day (probably on the church grounds at Macedonia). In the evening (Saturday) we have discussed the possibility of having a family talent show / dinner at the hotel in Albany. On Sunday the family would attend church at Macedonia in Parrott. Between now and January, McKinley Bradley "Brad" and his crew will have some figures for meal and hotel accommodations.

    We will also have a showing of the Oxford Family slide show. We want to add some slides of family pictures that were made during the past two years. If you have pictures of your family that were taken during the past two years, please send them to me and I will make slides from the pictures and return the pictures to you in March or April of next year. I won't lose any of your pictures and I give my word that all will be returned to you as promised.

    Terri Rucker (daughter of Rose Mary Oxford Rucker, and grand daughter of the late Otis Oxford), was listed in Who's Who in American High Schools for 1989-90. She was also the "First Attendant" in the campus queen contest for Miss Jones High School.

    Elgin Rucker (Terri's brother) is a senior at Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach Florida. During the past summer Elgin represented Bethune-Cookman at a 6 week scholastic program for education majors which was held at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN.

    Demetrius Smith (son of Cynthia Carter and grandson of Reginald Carter, Sr.) was listed in Who's Who Among High School Students for 1989-90. Demetrius was also nominated to become a "Congressional Scholar" representing Georgia in the National Young Leaders Conference, to be held November 27 to December 2, 1990, in Washington, D.C.. Demetrius is a high school senior and his goal is to become an attorney.

    Sonya Hill (daughter of the late Otis Oxford's

step-son, Ernest), graduated from Jones High School and is a freshman at South Carolina State College, Orangeburg, S.C.

    Mrs. Essie Bell Leary (daughter of the late "Dock" Oxford) retired last spring and was honored at a retirement ceremony along with 26 other employees of the New York City Public Schools. Mrs. Leary was a School Guard at Public School #129.

    During the month of August, 1990, Cynthia Carter (daughter of Reginald Carter and grand-daughter of the late Ozzie Oxford) was a participant in an international conference for managers which was sponsored by Proctor and Gamble. The conference was held in Buffalo, New York. Cynthia is an employee of Proctor and Gamble and was selected to represent her region of the South at the conference.

    In future issues of the Oxford Family Newsletter we will feature occasional "Guest Editorials" by different members of the family. In those editorials each writer will have an opportunity to share whatever thoughts are on their heart with the larger family. The editorials may be inspirational, educational, personal, religious, or secular--or even all of those. For this issue, I have asked Cynthia Carter to write the guest editorial. The following statement was submitted by Cynthia.

A Personal View

by Cynthia Y. Carter

    Young Black people by the thousands are falling each day to the hazards of drug addiction, gang warfare, teen-age pregnancy, illiteracy, and poverty. Drop out rates are rising. Black college enrollment - particularly among Black males - is declining. The unemployment rate for Black teen-agers is 40%, compared to 20% for white teens.

    Our generation is at a very critical crossroads. Yes we have made some very substantial advances, but we still have communities and individual families affected by many varying and complex problems. It's up to us to work on solutions. We should work to strengthen our ties as a larger family so that we can provide support and encouragement to each other.

    Many of us have no firsthand experience of what our parents and grandparents went through to get us to where we are. Some of you may recall the first Oxford Family Reunion, particularly during the bus ride to the country when Reggie, Sr., Louverture, and Monroe talked about their experiences of walking five mile dirt roads to school and doing farm work. That experience is a far cry from the automated technology that we grow up with today. Frustrations of the young have given rise to the music we call "rap." Many of today's youth express their joy and pain with music. "Rap" has changed the way America dances, dresses, walks, and talks.

    Today's young Black men and women have the potential to influence our society in many ways. I have a personal belief that if we have the discipline and determination to take full advantage of the opportunities that are available to us, we can be anything in life we choose to be. But to succeed we must set goals and know what we want. It is time to start opening the doors of opportunity. As we do so, we must reach out and reach back and encourage and help each other. We also have to believe in ourselves.

    Being prepared for success begins with the individual. I want to offer my personal involvement to help better the quality of life for everyone--especially for those less fortunate than I. That's one reason I've been a United Way coordinator and community volunteer for several years. Helping others gives me the opportunity to give something back to my community. All of us can do the same. It may mean delivering a meal to a sick person, grocery shopping for an elderly person, taking an interest in and encouraging some of our young people who are searching for direction and purpose.

I thank God for my loving parents (Reggie and Naomi) who have been the major influence in my life, in addition to the close family ties with my dear sisters Charlene and Gwen, and my strong and supportive brothers Reggie, Jr., and K.K.

    This reflective article would not be complete without the added mention of my 16 year old son, high school senior - Demetrius, who plans to attend Morehouse College in Atlanta (fall 1991) to pursue a law degree with advanced studies in military ROTC.

    My role as a divorced single parent, a role in which I was forced to function as mother/father/career woman/ and college student during the past twelve years, has been quite a challenge. Life's pathway has not always been easy and I've shed my share of tears, but through it all, with Gods help, "I've overcome the world." I constantly hope and pray for the best for all of our families, near and far, in the demanding times in which we live. Let us all work together to strengthen the relatives and descendants of the Oxford Family and build for tomorrow together. May God bless each of you.

    The next issue of The Oxford Family Newsletter will be published around January, 1991. Please send me some news concerning goings-on in your family. In addition, send me the names and addresses of relatives who are not on our mailing list. Send me the names and addresses of anyone you want to receive the newsletter. Send to the following address:

Monroe Fordham

49 Calvert Blvd.

Tonawanda, NY 14150

716-694-5096

May 1990 Number 10

    This is to announce the establishment of a college scholarship award in memory of the late Mance and Sarah Ann Oxford. The first annual scholarship award, in the amount of $500 will be made in August, 1990. The purpose of the award is to encourage and assist high school graduates who are relatives or members of families related to the Oxford clan. The initial amount of $500 may be increased in future years. The following guidelines have been established to govern the annual award:

1. Applicant must be a relative of, or a member of a family related to a descendent of the Oxford clan.

2. Applicant must be a high school senior who plans to attend college or a trade school following high school graduation.

(Letter of application must include the following)

1. Name, address, phone number, etc.

2. Statement explaining your relationship to the Oxford clan or related families.

3. Statement explaining your vocational or professional goals in life.

4. A copy of your high school transcript.

5. A copy of your letter of acceptance from the college or trade school that you plan to attend.

Mance & Sarah Ann Oxford Scholarship

49 Calvert Blvd.

Tonawanda, NY 14150

July 30, 1990

    The awardee will be notified on or before August 15, 1990. A certified check for $500 will be mailed to the awardee on or before August 20, 1990. Scholarship awardees will be special guests at the next Oxford Family Reunion.

    If you know of relatives who are high school seniors, send them copies of the above announcement concerning the Mance and Sarah Ann Oxford Memorial Scholarship Award. Encourage them to apply for the award.

    Cynthia Carter (daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Carter, and granddaughter of the late Ozie B. Carter) is the United Way Chairperson for the Flint River (Georgia) area. As chairperson she has overall responsibility for managing the Flint River area United Way fund drive for the 525 Proctor and Gamble employees. In addition to raising money for the United Way, Cynthia works to inform Proctor and Gamble employees about the services of the various United Way agencies. Cynthia is apparently very effective at her job, last year the Flint River United Way received more than $42,000 from Proctor and Gamble workers and management. In commenting on her involvement with the United Way, Cynthia stated that "contributing to the United Way is my way of giving something back to the community and to those less fortunate than I."

    Cynthia is very proud of her association with Proctor and Gamble as one of its employees. She is a 10 year stock owner with the company and thoroughly enjoys her work.

    Leon Perry (son of Vera Mae Fordham-Thomas and grandson of the late Arie D. Fordham-Jackson) was selected in the recent college draft by the Los Angles Raiders professional football team.

Following an outstanding career as a prep football player in Orlando, Florida, Leon was one of the most heavily recruited high school football players in the state. He accepted a football scholarship to the University of Oklahoma. He was a starter and star fullback at Oklahoma for four years. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Oklahoma in December, 1989.

Leon was drafted as a running back by the L.A. Raiders. We wish him well and we'll all be praying for his success as an L.A. Raider.

    Pamela Fordham (daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Monroe Fordham and granddaughter of the late Arie D. Fordham-Jackson) was a cum laude graduate from the State University of New York, College at Buffalo in the spring commencement, 1990. Pamela was an English Education major. She plans to teach high school/jr. high English beginning in the fall.

    Aunt Martha F. Oxford (one of the two surviving children of Mance and Sarah Ann Oxford) is making tentative plans to move to Dawson, Georgia from her present residence in Hartford, Conn. Aunt Martha, who lived in Parrott, Georgia for many years before moving to Hartford, plans to move to Dawson sometime this summer, possibly July.

    We have received many letters and phone calls with suggestions for our second Oxford Family Reunion. The overwhelming majority of the persons who contacted us want to schedule our next family reunion for July 6 & 7, 1991. After the 1991 reunion, we will plan to have the reunion at 5 year intervals. We have received inquiries from many people who missed the first reunion but plan to attend the next one. So mark your calendars and claim the vacation days on your job. July 6 & 7 is the weekend after the 4th of July, 1991. We will convene a working and planning reunion committee during the coming summer. The fall issue of the newsletter will contain more specific information about the reunion activities and arrangements.

    We were saddened to learn of the death of Theodore Alexander last November. Theodore was the son of Mrs. Ozie Alexander and the late Benjamin Alexander, and the grandson of Mrs. Nannie Telafare.

Funeral services were held on November 29, 1989, at Lincoln Memorial Chapel in Atlanta, Georgia. The late Rev. Dr. Ralph David Abernathy officiated and read the eulogy.

    Cynthia Carter has volunteered to gather news from Oxford relatives and descendants in and around her hometown. We need people from Florida, Connecticut, Atlanta, Dawson/Albany, New York, and other places where sizable numbers of our relatives live to call around and gather information for the newsletter. Graduations, job information, accomplishments, and any other information that you deem newsworthy should be sent to me at the following address, or call me collect:

Monroe Fordham

49 Calvert Blvd.

Tonawanda, NY 14150

716-694-5096

If you know any of our relatives who may be eligible for the Mance and Sarah Oxford Memorial Scholarship, either have them give me a call or write to me.