Nancy Green became one of the first prospe rous African American women in the U.S. Green was born enslaved in Montgom ery County\, Kentucky\, in 1834. While in Kentucky she worked for the Walk er family and moved with them to Chicago just after the Great Fire\, in 18 72. Eight years later\, Nancy Green became "Aunt Jemima." Businessman R.T. Davis had purchased a pre-mixed\, self-rising recipe for pancakes and wan ted an "Aunt Jemima\," a character from minstrel shows which were popular at the time\, to be the face of his pancakes. "Aunt Jemima" would be a fri endly\, animated\, African American cook who served a wealthy white family . Playing the role of "Aunt Jemima" gave Green financial independence few African Americans and few women experienced at the time. She used her weal th as a means to empower her community. She was particularly active in her church\, leading missionary trips\, investing in anti-poverty programs fo r African Americans\, and advocating for equal rights. \;Though her wo rk depended on a derogatory racial stereotype\, her financial success demo nstrates how black Americans could sometimes play on and use such images t o their \;advantage.
\nThis program was funded in part by Kentuc ky Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities. \;
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