Our Family Album
3/8/1999
Click above to find out the most current
events in the Hicks' household!
This website is dedicated to all who are part of the Black family today. Visit our detailed family tree to get the intricate details of over six generations of the Hicks, Lawson, Steele, Broyles, Jones, and Crockett clans. Stay here for the abbreviated version and some photos!
Wayne & Shenita
Shenita is a graduate of Arizona State University. She joined Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) sorority during her college years. Wayne graduated from the University of California, Riverside (UCR). Both of us have considered post-graduate degrees at one point or another. We met while Wayne was on a 3-month assignment to Phoenix, AZ in early 1991. We became good friends during that period. It wasn't until many months later that we began courting one another. Our courtship took place over several months while Wayne lived in Detroit and Shenita lived in Austin, TX. On the first day of Kwanzaa 1992 Wayne proposed marriage to Shenita. We were married on April 17, 1993 in Phoenix, AZ. We became parents on May 12, 1997. On that day a gorgeous baby girl named Laura Imani Hicks was born! Of course Laura is a child of the 21st century...so be sure to visit Laura's Webpage!
Our Parents...
Harry Hannon Lawson and Laura Mae Steele married on September 11, 1960 in Whitehall, AL. They had two daughters...Shenita and Cassandra. Shenita's mom passed away on February 9, 1982. In 1991 Dr. Lawson's son, Nicholas Hannon Lawson Wright was born. Dr. Lawson still resides in Tucson, AZ
Richard Wayne Hicks married Elizabeth Ann Crockett on January 27, 1957 in Detroit, MI. Wayne's mom is known as "Big Mama" by her three grandchildren. 'Big Mama' has been an educator for over 30 years. We think she would enjoy it if you were to check out the
African American Teachers' Lounge. Another thing that 'Big Mama' would love to share with other Villagers is her love of
the Bible.
Our Grandparents...
John Collin Lawson and Zeola Bradley were married on November 28, 1928 in Gordonville, AL. They had eight children. Their fourth child, Harry Hannon Lawson, was born on June 14, 1936.Robert (Warren) Steele and Ida Hardy were married on February 10, 1932 in Alabama's Dallas county. Robert is still living in the family home down in Whitehall, AL. The fifth of their twelve children was Laura Mae. She was born on January 11, 1938.
Walter L. Hicks & Ada Izona Broyles were married on September 24, 1929 in Tulsa, OK. They had nine children. The fourth child...and oldest son...is Richard Wayne Hicks, Sr.
George William Crockett, Jr. and
Emily Ethelene Jones were married on January 1, 1934 in
Jackson, MI.
Three children (Elizabeth,
George III, and Ethelene) were born to this union. Granddaddy passed away in 1997. Some of the folks who mourned him in writing included the
Detroit Free Press,
National Association of Arab Americans, and the Detroit News. One of Granddaddy's favorite people in life was
Paul Robeson.
Granddaddy Crockett is featured in this book, Black Judges on Justice, by Linn Washington. You can find Granddaddy under part III: "The Pioneers" which starts on page 145. You can order the book by clicking on the cover!
Our Brothers & Sisters...
We have some truly remarkable siblings. Cassandra Anita Lawson and Charles George Hicks are both lawyers. Cassandra received her law degree from Temple University in Philadelphia.Charles graduated with his J.D. from the University of Georgia after obtaining his undergraduate degree from Morehouse College. Charles became a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity during his college days. Kyra Ethelene Hicks got her undergraduate degree in marketing from Howard University. Later she obtained her MBA from the University of Michigan. Learn more about her on Kyra's webpage. Our youngest sister, Iyisa Kathaleen Hicks is working towards her undergraduate degree while living in Los Angeles.
Our Nieces...
Our two beautiful nieces will make tremendous first cousins for Laura over the next century. Our oldest niece is Zoe Madison Waller. Zoe was born to Iyisa on September 12, 1995 in Los Angeles, CAVictoria Taylor Hicks is our other niece. Victoria is the only daughter of Charles & Javoyne. Victoria was born on December 28, 1996 in Atlanta, GA. Can you keep a secret? It looks as if Victoria will be having a brother or sister in the next few months! Stay Tuned!
Many of you know that we've been researching our family history for a number of years. Click on the family icon to your right to get a look at what we've discovered in our search for roots. Another cyberspace location for this information is the Ancestors: a PBS special. At this web site you will find a wealth of information about genealogy and family history. Read the powerful stories of people whose lives have been changed through family history research. This comprehensive site offers downloadable charts and records for your personal research, a teacher's guide, and hyperlinks to other genealogical sites. Also you can learn
how to prepare & conduct an oral history interview on the internet!
Are you doing research on the Broyles surname? If so, you may want to check out the 
