Program Being Held at The Murphy Theatre Feb. 27
Former enslaved person Nancy Green gained employment in 1889 as the face of pancakes — she portrayed the image of a friendly and lively African American cook wearing a headscarf and apron serving a wealthy white family. While playing Aunt Jemima made her one of the first prosperous, formerly enslaved women in the country, Green leveraged her affluence to empower both herself and her community.
PICTURED: Debra F. Faulk will portray Nancy Green in "Being Aunt Jemima, the Pancake Queen."
Wilmington College will co-present with a number of community entities Debra F. Faulk in her acclaimed portrayal of Green titled "Nancy Green in: Being Aunt Jemima, The Pancake Queen," Feb. 27, at 7 p.m., at the Murphy Theatre. The event is part of WC's Black History Month observance.
Green (1834-1923) was among the initial African Americans to promote a corporate brand when she became the first model hired to portray Aunt Jemima. Born in Kentucky, she was 56 years old when she became the face of Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix.
An executive of Pearl Milling Co. happened to hear a catchy tune called "Aunt Jemima" sung by a blackface performer who was wearing an apron and bandanna headband. He named the company's pancake mix after the song before selling the formula a year later to another milling company, which searched for a black woman to employ as the face of the product.
Green, with her warm and friendly personality, was a hit in promoting the pancakes at expositions by demonstrating the ease of preparing the self-rising batter and actually serving thousands of flapjacks. The "Pancake Queen" was signed to a lifetime contract and traveled the country promoting the batter. Her face appeared in various iterations of the packaging over the years until her tragic death in a car crash in 1923.
Two years later, Quaker Oats purchased the company and hired other models — all attired in the trademark apron and head scarf until 1989, when the more modern image of Aunt Jemima was featured without that stereotypical attire.
Faulk will explain how Green's experience as Aunt Jemima empowered her and her community.
Kentucky native Faulk has been a professional comedienne for more than two decades. She is the founder and artistic director of her own company, Rainbow Attractions. She is a regular on the Kentucky Chautauqua circuit.
Her company combines entertainment with education while highlighting serious health issues with added elements of humor and joy. Indeed, Faulk's one woman show, "Nobody Does It Alone," is designed to help explain the effects and symptoms of dementia on the elderly and their families. She has led a Walk to End Alzheimer's and organized her own annual event through the Veterans Administration to honor all veterans suffering from illness.
Rainbow has also presented the Comedy Connections workshop as a means of furthering Faulk's interest in working with teenagers who are on the margins of society. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Fine arts from California State University, Los Angeles.
The College is partnering with the following organizations in presenting this Black History Month program: Murphy Theater, Clinton County History Center, Wilmington City Schools, Wilmington News Journal, Wilmington Area Ministerial Association, Bible Missionary Baptist Church Ministries, Cornerstone Baptist Church, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Ada Chapel Friends and Quinn Chapel AME.
Green, with her warm and friendly personality, was a hit in promoting the pancakes at expositions by demonstrating the ease of preparing the self-rising batter and actually serving thousands of flapjacks. The "Pancake Queen" was signed to a lifetime contract and traveled the country promoting the batter. Her face appeared in various iterations of the packaging over the years until her tragic death in a car crash in 1923.
Two years later, Quaker Oats purchased the company and hired other models — all attired in the trademark apron and head scarf until 1989, when the more modern image of Aunt Jemima was featured without that stereotypical attire.
Faulk will explain how Green's experience as Aunt Jemima empowered her and her community.
Kentucky native Faulk has been a professional comedienne for more than two decades. She is the founder and artistic director of her own company, Rainbow Attractions. She is a regular on the Kentucky Chautauqua circuit.
Her company combines entertainment with education while highlighting serious health issues with added elements of humor and joy. Indeed, Faulk's one woman show, "Nobody Does It Alone," is designed to help explain the effects and symptoms of dementia on the elderly and their families. She has led a Walk to End Alzheimer's and organized her own annual event through the Veterans Administration to honor all veterans suffering from illness.
Rainbow has also presented the Comedy Connections workshop as a means of furthering Faulk's interest in working with teenagers who are on the margins of society. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Fine arts from California State University, Los Angeles.
The College is partnering with the following organizations in presenting this Black History Month program: Murphy Theater, Clinton County History Center, Wilmington City Schools, Wilmington News Journal, Wilmington Area Ministerial Association, Bible Missionary Baptist Church Ministries, Cornerstone Baptist Church, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Ada Chapel Friends and Quinn Chapel AME.