Share Your Stories: The Miller Family, A Legacy Rooted in the Founding of Philadelphia and the Nation

This blog is part of PHILADELPHIA250’s Share Your Stories program, which celebrates all Philadelphians, past and present who are a part of our history — making sure no one is left out of the story. If you have a story about a special person or place you’d like to share with us, please contact us through this form.

Every year, on the first Sunday in July, the Miller family comes together for a picnic as part of their annual weekend-long family reunion. This year marked the 70th annual reunion of one of Philadelphia’s most accomplished and storied African-American families, whose history in Philadelphia dates back to the founding of both our city and our country.

Thanks to a chance meeting and introduction to Joyce Mosley, the Miller family’s official genealogist, historian, and author, Jane, Rae and Charity from PHILADELPHIA250 were invited to meet the extended Miller family this past July 4th weekend and learn more about the men and women of this trailblazing family. To help us launch our Share Your Stories social media series, focusing this summer on the revolutionary women of our city, we bring to you a glimpse into the contributions of Joyce Mosley and the Miller family, past and present, who carry their history with pride and who continue to make a mark on the present and future of this country.

The Miller family reunion began in 1953, organized by Joyce’s grandmother, Marian Abrams. She and her husband Clement Miller had nine children and began this tradition to keep the family close and honor their history. Both of Joyce’s grandparents came from Philadelphia “royalty”. Marian was descended from Humphrey Morrey, the city’s first mayor appointed by William Penn. He was a Quaker and a slave owner, who was also one of the international actor and singer Paul Robeson’s ancestors. Marian could also trace her ancestry back to Cyrus Bustill, who was born enslaved in Burlington, NJ but purchased his freedom. As a baker, he supplied bread and baked goods to Washington’s troops at Valley Forge. Bustill later emerged as a prominent figure in Philadelphia’s free Black community, helping found the Free African Society with Richard Allen and Absalom Jones.

On her grandfather’s side, Joyce is descended from the family of the Rev. Charles Tindley, who founded the famous Tindley Temple on Broad Street in South Philadelphia and who was one of the founders of gospel music. He drew huge crowds to the Tindley Temple United Methodist Church in the 1920s and composed the lyrics of “We Shall Overcome”, the anthem of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.

Now, seventy years later and continuing the tradition started by her grandmother Marian in 1953, Joyce — joined by hundreds of her immediate and extended family members, including her own 94 year-old mother — remains committed to passing down this legacy to the next generations, nurturing and sharing the rich history of the Miller family in Philadelphia.

At this year’s picnic outside Chester in Delaware County, marked by typical July humidity and a passing thunderstorm, Jane, Rae and Charity of PHILADELPHIA250 enjoyed the smells of cooking and barbecuing, and listened to a program in which new babies were introduced, high school and college graduates were given gifts and honored, and family members who had passed away were remembered. There was even a surprise wedding proposal — one of many that’s happened during this annual event of family, culture, history and love.

We also spoke with a few of the Miller’s descendants about their contemporary connection to their history, family, the founding of the country and the 250th means to them.

• Tammi Forbes, Marian’s great-granddaughter and a district judge from Sharon Hill, continues the family’s legacy of community service. She sees this calling as “something within me, a legacy that is instilled within the Millers.” For Tammi, the significance of the 250th anniversary lies in her family’s historical narrative. She emphasized the presence and pivotal contributions of African Americans from the beginning, highlighting their thriving existence and profound impact on Philadelphia. She says, ““I want to make sure that it’s known that African Americans were present in the beginning and African Americans set the legacy that continues and shows that we are thriving… we are a strong part of Philadelphia.”
• Karlyn Miller Singleton, the youngest grandchild of Marian and a teacher, traveled from Detroit to reunite with her family. Raised with the mantra “don’t forget where you came from” instilled in her by her father, Karlyn finds empowerment in her family’s legacy, considering it a true blessing. Reflecting on the nation’s 250th anniversary, she harbors mixed feelings but hopes that it will embrace the comprehensive history of every individual, ethnicity, and background, recognizing their equal contributions to the past 250 years.
• Kia Brinkley, who grew up in Philly but who now lives in Los Angeles where she works at a beauty brand founded by women of color, has been attending family reunions since 1989. She views her family as an immense support system and desires the 250th anniversary to acknowledge the rightful contributions of African Americans, emphasizing the deep connection between Philadelphia and their stories.
• Steven Scott Bradley, a prominent Philadelphia resident engaged in philanthropic work inspired by his grandmother, draws inspiration, motivation, and resilience from his family, even during the most challenging times. Eagerly anticipating the 250th anniversary, Steven hopes, “to live long enough to see everyone work together and build community.”

Finally the story of Joyce Mosley, a present-day Miller family revolutionary, is one of firsts, just like Philadelphia, the city that plays a big part in her family and the history of this country. She was the first person to adopt as a single parent in Pennsylvania in 1973, highly unusual at the time. Her painstaking research on the Miller family ancestry was a model to many other African American families trying to trace back their family origins. She’s held workshops and taught others how to do careful genealogical and historical research, helping bring to light unknown and untold stories and contributions of the African American community in the United States. The Miller family’s full history — which over many generations from the 17th to the 21st centuries boasts accomplished leaders, men and women — was documented by Joyce and has been the subject of public recognition. She was featured in a PBS episode of “Movers and Makers” and her family history was featured on the PBS Documentary “The Montiers: An American Story”. She is also an author, having written a book for her family called Gram’s Gift. Finally, she successfully lobbied to change the entrance requirements of the Daughters of the American Revolution to acknowledge that African American contributions to the Revolution were not always properly documented in the historical record the same way as white revolutionary figures.

The history of the Miller family, past and present, embodies both the ideals of this country and the Declaration of Independence as well as our mixed record of living up to these lofty goals. While we could only capture a few of the contemporary stories and profiles of this amazing family, we could feel the kinship between their values and ours at PHILADELPHIA250: Shared Prosperity, People’s Histories, Revolutionary Actions, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Their collective history has shaped their identity as a close-knit family. They draw strength, inspiration, and determination from the stories of their ancestors, embodying the principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence on a daily basis. As the 250th anniversary approaches, it holds great importance for the Miller family to highlight their rich African American heritage in Philadelphia and to extend their values throughout the entire nation. The Miller family was there in the beginning of the founding of the country, and they want to make it known that they are here for the 250th as well.