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Smith-Trotter Family Gallery

1) 1981: Nocatee, FL (Ruthie Mae [Smith] Walker & Frank Walker)

2) 1983: Church Hill, AR (John Lee Smith)

3) 1985: Seattle, WA (Ida Mae [Smith] Whittaker)

4) 1987: Pine Bluff, AR (Tilden Trotter)

5) 1989: Nocatee, FL (Sharon and Jeffrey Daniels [Ruthie Mae Smith])

6) 1991: Moses Lake, WA (Gracie Lee [Smith] Shaw)

7) 1993: Lawton, OK (Willis L Davis [Goldie Smith])

8) 1995: Cleveland, OH (Theresa Spencer [Ruthie Mae Smith])

9) 1997: New Boston, TX & Fulton, AR (John Lee Smith)

10) 1999: Fayetteville, AR (A Yemisi [Smith] Jimoh)

11) 2001: Seattle, WA (Johnny De Wayne Foster [Ida Mae Smith])

12) 2003: Nocatee, FL (Amenda Walker [Ruthie Mae Smith])

13) 2005: Fulton & Hope, AR (Myzell Smith)

14) 2007: Shreveport, LA (Ginnette Foster [Ida Mae Smith])

15) 2009: Nocatee, FL (Lee Ethel Smith)

16) 2011: Texas & Arkansas (John Lee Smith)

17) 2013: Forrest Hills, GA (Thomas Spencer [Ruthie Mae Smith])

18) 2015: Kissimmee, FL (Ka’leb Paldino [Ruthie Mae Smith])

19) 2017: Greenville, SC (Cleaster Huff-Sheppard & Desimber Wattleton [Gracie Lee Smith])    

20) 2019: Hope & McNab, AR (Inez and Bobby Gentry [Nathaniel Smith])

21) 2021: Seattle, WA (A Yemisi [Smith] Jimoh)

22) 2023: (Sharon and Jeffrey Daniels [Ruthie Mae Smith])

23) 2025: New Orleans, LA (Amenda Walker, Ka'leb Paldino & Family)

24) 2027: Pigeon Forge, TN (Taneka Daniels & Family)

25) 2029: (Darrell Spencer [Ruthie Mae Smith])

26) 2031: St. Louis, IL (Ginnette Foster & Stephanie Love [Ida Smith])

27) 2033: Florida (Lee Ethel Smith, Antoinette, & Cherry Lee [LeRoy Smith Sr.])

28) 2035: Houston, TX (Shatera Gentry [Nathaniel Smith])

29) 2037: TBD (Thomas Spencer [Ruthie Mae Smith])

30) 2039: Open

New Orleans, LA - 2025

Laissez les bons temps rouler (Let the Good Times Roll)!!!  In 2025, the Smith-Trotter Family Reunion was hosted in New Orleans by Amenda Walker, Ka'leb Paldino, and family. New Orleans is one of the Top 10 tourist destinations in the United States!

 

The Smith-Trotter family had a memorable and enjoyable Mardi Gras experience in New Orleans. The month of June in New Orleans is peak season and events such as Mardi Gras, Super Bowl LIX, French Quarter Festival, Jazz Festival, Essence Festival, and other festivals and activities so there was plenty to do and see.  Thank you to our hosts for planning such a wonderful experience and all those who traveled far and wide to attend!

Nocatee, FL - 2023

The 2023 Smith-Trotter Family Reunion was graciously hosted by Sharon, Jeffrey, and Ja’Metrius Daniels in beautiful Nocatee, Florida. Nestled along Florida’s Gulf Coast near the Peace River and just a short drive from the historic communities of Arcadia and Punta Gorda, Nocatee provided a warm and welcoming setting for family fellowship and celebration.

 

Surrounded by Florida’s natural beauty, family members gathered to reconnect across generations, share stories, honor our heritage, and create new memories together. The 2023 gathering served as a meaningful reminder that no matter how far we travel, family remains our greatest treasure.

Seattle, WA - 2021

The Jimoh branch of the Smith-Trotter family hosted the 2021 Family Reunion. Yemisi, Aisha, Funmi, Jaylen, Avery, and Nia Mae, along with a few other branches from the Seattle family assisted the hosts. We returned to Seattle where we have had two previous reunions (1985 & 2001) to celebrate forty years of fellowship, good food, fun, and our mighty ten plus generations since 1820.

 

Seattle is a city on Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest surrounded by water, mountains, and evergreen forests; it also contains thousands of acres of parkland. Washington State’s largest city, its thriving downtown, iconic Space Needle, and rich cultural sites that added to the excitement of the Smith-Trotter Family Reunion.

Hope & McNab, AR - 2019

The 2019 Smith-Trotter Family Reunion, hosted by Inez Smith-Gentry, Bobby Gentry, and their children along with Christine Green, brought our family together in the welcoming communities of Hope and McNab, Arkansas.

 

Nestled in the heart of southwest Arkansas, Hope is known as the birthplace of President Bill Clinton, home to the historic railroad depot museum, and its famous Watermelon Festival tradition. Nearby McNab offered a peaceful small-town setting that reflected the warmth, hospitality, and rural charm of the region. Together, these communities provided the perfect backdrop for celebrating family history, creating new memories, and strengthening the bonds that unite generations.

Greenville, SC - 2017

The 2017 Smith-Trotter Family Reunion was proudly hosted by Desimber Rose Wattleton and Cleaster Huff-Sheppard in beautiful Greenville, South Carolina. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Greenville is celebrated for its vibrant downtown, Southern hospitality, and scenic natural beauty.

 

Family members enjoyed a city known for iconic destinations such as beautiful Downtown Greenville, Falls Park on the Reedy, the Liberty Bridge, and the popular Swamp Rabbit Trail. With its blend of history, culture, outdoor recreation, and award-winning dining, Greenville provided the perfect setting for a great time catching up with aunties, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Throwback Gallery

This gallery is a treasured journey through the history of the Smith-Trotter Family Reunion, spanning more than two decades from 1983 through 2005. These photographs capture gatherings across Florida, Texas, Washington, Arkansas, and beyond, preserving moments of laughter, fellowship, celebration, and love. More than snapshots, they are windows into our shared story.

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Within these images are many of the beloved patriarchs, matriarchs, elders, and family members whose lives helped shape the generations that followed. Their faith, sacrifice, resilience, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to family laid the foundation upon which we continue to build today.

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As an African American family, we recognize that remembering is an act of honor. We carry forward the stories, values, and traditions entrusted to us by those who came before. Though many pictured here have gone on to glory, their presence remains woven into the fabric of our family. May these photographs remind us of where we come from, strengthen our bonds with one another, and inspire us to faithfully preserve the Smith-Trotter legacy for generations yet to come.

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