Haynes Family

Photo: Rhonda Haynes

What Family Mean To Me?

My name is Rhonda Haynes a resident of New Smyrna Beach Florida. Here I describe what family means to me. The family unit was the first institution created by God, to be the tool used to rear people to love, respect, honor, glorify and fear Him as He directed. As such and good family members, they are the people who have your best interest at heart; the people who prepare you for living in a world that doesn’t tend to offer the things needed to succeed in the world, especially to certain groups of people. They are your first teachers and the ones who give you tough love when it’s needed and tender love always. Families are the nucleus of our churches and civic organizations in our communities. Family is who you should always be able to depend on in times of need and difficulty, for moral support, prayers and financial assistance, if need be. Family is next to God in its importance in our lives.

Leandrus Jordan

Photo: Rhonda Haynes

My Family Legacy

My family is one of firsts in this city, having been born into a family who were once slaves. My paternal grandfather, Carlus Jordan, was the grandson of former slaves Obie and Amelia Jordan, and the first Black man in New Smyrna Beach to own and operate a gas station in what is currently named “Historic Westside”. The building is still standing and is located on the corner of Mary Avenue and Josie Street and is currently operated as L’il Pop’s Auto Detailing.

My father, Leandrus Jordan, was the first Black to run for City Commissioner for Zone 4 in New Smyrna Beach, in 1967. He was defeated by Denver Swanson, by the small margin of only three hundred one (301) votes, which caused him to call for a recount. The election remained certified with the named winner. As a supervising employee of the Kennedy Space Center, working in the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), he also operated two (2) adult clubs - Society’s Place on Dimmick Street (in Historic Westside’s business district) and a club on Bethune Beach, as well as operating a rooming house with his wife, daughter and grandmother-in-law, located at 336 Sheldon Street (Historic Westside).

I am the first and to date, the only Black Deputy City Clerk for the City of New Smyrna Beach and the first Black employed in their Personnel (now HR) Department, with a total tenure of over twenty-six and a half (26.5+) years of service. (25 active with 1.5 on sick leave due to cancer).

My oldest son, James, Jr. (aka C J) became the first Black Homecoming King for New Smyrna Beach High School in 1990 as well as the first Black to have been ELECTED President of SGA at the high school .

My youngest son, Carlus, was and to date, the only Black Law Clerk in the City Attorney’s office of the City of New Smyrna Beach.

My husband, James Haynes, Sr., became the first Black supervisor in the Waste Water & Pollution Control Department of the Utilities Commission of the City of New Smyrna Beach.

What Family Looks Like Outside of the Family

Outside the family is what my family terms FRamily – FRiends that are considered family. The average person doesn’t have a lot of friends because that relationship is deemed most important and cannot be occupied by just anyone. Though you can’t choose your family, you can choose your friends.

I am blessed to have had six (6) God-Sisters and four (4) God-Brothers that I am aware of, because of having God parents and because my parents were God-Parents. Along with that I’ve been blessed to have four (4) God-Daughters because of FRamily (2 of my best friends children and a church member). I have added “sons”, “daughters”, and “grand-daughters” (of whom a couple are of another race, which makes it even more special).

Though the members of my FRamiy are not biological, they are still people that exhibit the characteristics of family members and is what “family outside the family” looks like in my family.