newsobserver.com projects - Tony Rand shakes the family tree - Comments

Re: Tony Rand shakes the family tree

tangoz — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:29:02 -0400

My last name of Terrell has quite a few African-American ancestors. My mother's maiden name is Williams and is know to have quite a few ancestors of African-American descent.

So what was the point of this article? I though Senator Rand is running unopposed this fall? So again, what is the point of this article?

Re: Tony Rand shakes the family tree

Isaac136 — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:22:48 -0400

Kudos to Tony Rand for his interest and enthusiasm in family ties that include African Americans. He sets a good example for a lot of us.

Re: Tony Rand shakes the family tree

FFC1304 — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:17:38 -0400

Wow, what an opportune tie in for Tony as a NC democrackkk...you'd think he might have chosen discretion over flamboyance.

Tony Rand shakes the family tree

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 14:25:53 -0400

Tony Rand would not expect to find his kinfolk in a TV documentary called "Black in America."

But there he was Saturday night, half-watching the tail end of the CNN show while reading a book when he heard a familiar last name.

At first, the Senate majority leader was intrigued by the story of the "mighty Rands" — a sprawling African-American extended family that holds a giant reunion in Atlanta each year. After all, he says, it's an unusual name.

Then matriarch RubyStein McGhee appeared onscreen, noting that her great-great-grandfather, William Harrison Rand, was a white man who was reportedly run out of North Carolina for living with a black woman.

Rand recognized the name. William Harrison Rand was the first cousin of one of his ancestors.

"I said, 'Great God, that's got to be us,'" he said.

Rand intends to connect with the black branch of his family, and he and his son, Ripley, already are making plans to go to the next reunion.

"You start shaking your family tree, and it's always really interesting," he said. "I can't wait to meet some of these relatives and find out more about all the people involved."

Correction: An earlier version of this post misspelled McGhee's name.