The Simmons Family

### Etymology

derived from the Old English personal name "Simon," meaning "hearkening" or "listening."

### Founded

1908 (Upon the family's relocation to Franklyn, Hilltop, Terranova)

### Titles

* Mayor of Carverton (Reginald Simmons)
* Chancellor of the Terranovan Women's Rights Council (Pathienia Simmons)
* President of Terranova (Alezandrya Simmons)
* Terranovan Legacy Council (Elijah Dougherty X)
* Archbishop of the Blackwood family (Titus Blackwood Simmons)

### Estate(s)

Simmons Estate, Hilltop

**The Simmons family** is a prominent Terranovan African American family descended from Rashad Simmons and his wife Kamala Dunson Simmons from the US. The family has become part of the professional black elite in Terranova. Known for being the family of the 10th president of Terranova, Alezandrya Simmons, African-American Women's Rights leader Pathienia Simmons, and the first Terranovan Secretary of the Army, Thimothy Simmons. They are believed to be the oldest documented African-American family that has come from African ancestry to settle in Terranova. Historians believe so because they have traced the Simmons family's lineage back to the early 1900s, when their ancestor, Thimothy's father, Reginald Simmons, moved to Hilltop State, Terranova from Mississippi State, United States. The family is active in activism, law, education, and politics.

Rashad Simmons was born into slavery in the state of Mississippi in 1853, shortly before the Emancipation Proclamation was issued. Kamala Dunson was born the same year in a small town in Alabama. Despite the challenges they faced as African-Americans during that time, both Rashad and Kamala were determined to make a difference in their communities. Rashad became a prominent civil rights leader, while Kamala dedicated her life to advocating for equal education opportunities for all children. After gaining an education, the couple moved to Franklyn, Hilltop, in Terranova in 1908 and continued their activism and advocacy work in their new community. They established a school for African-American children, providing them with the education they were previously denied.

They married on November 17, 1870, and had two children, Reginald and Santana Simmons. As activists, they also established a family tradition of "passing the torch" by teaching their children the importance of activism and advocating for social justice. This tradition would be carried on by their descendants, creating a lasting legacy of community engagement and empowerment, and they would become part of the upper class.

Reginald "R.W. Kit" Simmons (1873–1959), the eldest child born to Rashad and Kamala Simmons, became not only the first mayor of Carverton, serving from 1915 to 1923, but also a prominent civil rights leader in Hilltop. He continued his parents' legacy of activism and fought tirelessly for equal rights and social justice for all. He married Betancita "Bettie" Dudley (1875–1939) on November 19, 1901, and together they had three children: Leticia Simmons Dudley, Jefferson Dudley, and Thimothy Simmons.

Leticia Simmons Dudley (1902–1991), the eldest child born to Reginald and Betancita Simmons, was a women's rights activist and educator in Hilltop. She followed in her parents' footsteps and dedicated her life to fighting for gender equality and empowering women in the community. Leticia was married to Elijah Dougherty VIII of the prominent Dougherty family. They had four children: Pathienia Simmons (1933–2008), Justus Dougherty (1936–1938), Solomon Dougherty (b. 1940), and Anastasia Dougherty (b. 1943). Leticia's brother, Jefferson Dudley (1906–1922), was shot when he was 16 years old by a cop while walking home from school. Thimothy Simmons (1909–1998), the youngest child of Reginald and Betancita, became a lawyer for civil rights and social justice causes. He worked closely with Leticia in her efforts to empower women and fight for gender equality. He married Aamina Robins of the Prosperous Blackwood family, and together they had one child, Serena Simmons.

Thimothy Simmons (1909–1998) and Santana and Keenan Brown's son, Frederick Simmons-Brown (1910–1979), were the first of the Simmons family to be born in the Federal Republic of Terranova.

Pathienia Simmons (1933–2008), the eldest child born to Leticia Simmons and Elijah Dougherty VIII, was a leading Terranovan socialite, author, and African American Women's Rights activist. As the first Chancellor of the Terranovan Women's Rights Council, she shaped women's rights legislation, including the 1975 Equality Act. She co-founded the National Association for African-American Women's Rights and the Terranovan Institute for Women's Studies in 1972. Her most influential book, "The Power Within," inspires generations. She married Archbishop Francis Blackwood on January 25, 1966, also of the Prosperous Blackwood family, who was one of the first religious figures in Terranova. They had four children: Alezandrya Simmons (b. 1966), Elijah Dougherty X (b. 1975), Titus Blackwood Simmons (b. 1976), and Estrada Blackwood (b. 1977). Throughout her career, Council continued to advocate for women's rights and worked tirelessly to promote gender equality. She became the most successful member of her family and was recognized as a leading voice in the feminist movement. Council's dedication to empowering women and challenging societal norms made her a role model for many aspiring activists. Her legacy continues to inspire future generations to fight for equality and justice.

The current head of the family is Alezandrya Simmons, since her uncle Solomon Dougherty handed her the reins of leadership instead of one of his children because he recognized her exceptional leadership skills and dedication to the family's values. Alezandrya's immediate family circle was the first family of Terranova from 2009 to 2012, and they are not only the first such family of African-American descent to hold this position but the first lesbian family as well. Her immediate family includes her wife, Kenya Thompson, and their four adopted sons, Jaylin, Ayden, Kyan, and LaShawn. Alezandrya Simmons has been a strong advocate for African American Women's Rights, LGBTQ+ rights, adoption rights, social justice, and equality throughout her tenure as president of Terranova.