African-American woman to win a Grammy. Her
welcoming smile graced our media before Oprah
Winfrey became the first African-American woman
television host. The warmth she exuded arrived
before Toni Morrison became the first African-
American woman to win the Nobel Prize for
Literature. Before all these amazing ladies became
famous icons, another household name paved the
way for African-American women: Aunt Jemima.
was developed and the legend of Aunt Jemima, a
plantation cook known for her well-loved secret
pancake recipe, was born. In 1893, in an effort to
promote the brand, an African-American woman
appeared in public as Aunt Jemima, becoming
the first living trademark in history. Over time,
only seven women played the iconic role of Aunt
Jemima, with the last being Hearne native, Rosie
Lee Moore Hall.
Oats Company, Rosie Hall applied to portray
Aunt Jemima in 1950 and soon became the face
of the beloved pancake queen. During a
time in history in which the Civil
Rights Movement was taking
center stage, Rosie Hall
toured the country, gave
demonstrations, and
told stories of her
culinary adventures
American woman. Marilyn Kern-Foxworth,
author of Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and Rastus,
called Aunt Jemima "the most battered woman in
America" due to the appearances made. However,
while cooking her melt-in-your-mouth pancakes in
places like the Texas State Fair and the World's Fair
in Chicago, Rosie Hall became a trailblazer in her
own right. She showed onlookers that an African-
American woman can be a high-profile figure in an
era that did not see many influential black women
in the public eye.
Aunt Jemima until her death in
1967. At that time, The Quaker
Oats Company retired Aunt
Jemima as a living character,
making Rosie the last
person to portray her
in advertising. Buried
at the Hammond
Colony African
American Cemetery
outside of Hearne,
Texas, Rosie's grave
is now a historical site
that pays tribute to the
woman whose round,
smiling, and joyous
face personified the
character of Aunt
Jemima for
almost two
decades.