Will’s family had been invited to black Hairston reunions, but it was not until a cousin from that side of the family joined him on the staff at Eastern Mennonite University that he became seriously committed to connecting with the larger family.  The Coming to the Table project was designed and organized by a team of black and white descendents of slavery, but it was Will’s vision and determination that started the process. 

In the Hairston family, at least, the real forerunners of this movement were people like Jester Hairston.  He was an African American composer, actor, jack-of-all-geniuses who had a performing career starting in the 1930s.  As he traveled around the world, he would open the phone book and look for Hairstons wherever he went.  He would call them up – black, white, it didn’t matter.  He would go out and eat with them and have wonderful experiences.  And there was a marvelous man name John Hairston, African American, who reached out to my dad, trying to get some historical information, but then extended the invitation to us to attend the Hairston family reunion and for my father to be the keynote speaker.  It was the initiative mostly coming from the African America side of Hairston family, and some whites responding in a reluctant way, that started the movement in our family.

I’ve had the good fortune to be able to go to church with Melody Pannell, who was with us at this event, and she does a wonderful job leading worship.  One song she sings so well is “Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance.”  The way I felt at this event,it’s almost like a party.  I feel like the shackles are coming off and inside I’m dancing.