The tradition of the ROOTS family picnic began in the early 1970s when Arline and Letcher Yarbrough invited to dinner a group of close friends they hadn’t seen in many years. Those who attended agreed to establish more regular get togethers. Word went out to the “Old Timers,” as they called themselves, to come to a reunion at Seward Park. Over 300 people showed up, and the group was given the formal name of ROOTS (Relatives of Old Timers of Seattle), for members of the African American community who were residents prior to 1940, and their friends and relatives.

With few exceptions, the ROOTS family picnic has been held annually, bringing together an average of 1000 people from Seattle’s Black community each year. The picnic also serves as homecoming, with families who have relocated over the years coming back for the event. Attendees enjoy sharing food, listening to music, and visiting and reminiscing with old friends and family. The 2022 ROOTS picnic will mark the event’s 50th anniversary.

This photo shows three men at the 1984 ROOTS family picnic. The man at right, in a picnic official's cap, has been identified as Francis "Frank" Fair. Frank Fair (1906-2006) moved to Seattle after graduating from high school in Oregon. He served in the Army in WWII, and afterward worked as a longshoreman and port supervisor in Seattle. Frank Fair and his wife, Janice, were involved in many Seattle civic organizations. Fair was a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, the Royal Esquires, and the Mr. and Mrs. Club, and a lifetime member of the NAACP and the Black Heritage Society of Washington State.

Caption information source: "ROOTS family picnic," from the The Breakfast Group website, retrieved at http://www.thebreakfastgroup.org/roots-family-picnic
Caption information source: Frank Fair's obituary, retrieved at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/seattletimes/name/francis-fair-obituary?id=29234478