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Camille

Camille

Kitchen Wench #TeamQuaid
Staff member


Grace Wisher, an enslaved black girl at just 13 years old, helped create the American flag which inspired the national anthem. She is often overlooked in the storytelling of the nation’s most prominent visual emblem.

Two hundred years ago, an African American girl made history—literally. She was an indentured servant named Grace Wisher in the household of Mary Pickersgill. Helen Yuen and Ms. Asantewa Boakyewa of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum share her story.

The likeness of Grace Wisher is unknown. However, the Star Spangled Banner Flag House is home to a portrait with her figure traced in, to recognize her contribution. Detail of "Placing the Stars on the Flag that Inspired Francis Scott Key to Write Our National Anthem" by Robert McGill Mackall, ca. 1962.

Mary Pickersgill is often credited with sewing the Star-Spangled Banner which flew over Fort McHenry in Maryland and inspired Francis Scott Key to write our national anthem. Less known is that Grace Wisher, an African American girl at just 13 years old, also helped make the flag. It's another testament to the deeply rooted, yet oft unmentioned, contributions of African Americans to the very core of this country.

Indenture was a waning practice in early 19th century Baltimore, although Maryland law did allow for courts to take away children of African Americans who were considered "lazy, indolent, and worthless free negroes" to bind the youngsters into apprenticeship. Orphans usually met a similar fate.


The size of the Star-Spangled Banner and its six-week timeline for completion would have necessitated many people working on the flag, including Mary Pickersgill's three nieces and Grace Wisher. The household also had an enslaved person, whose name we do not know.

The home where Pickersgill and Wisher lived is now a museum called the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House. It holds a 1962 painting by famed Baltimore artist Robert McGill Mackall. The portrait features the Pickersgill household and the three men who commissioned the garrison and storm flags for Fort McHenry: Commodore Joshua Barney, General John Stricker, and Colonel George Armistead. As a tribute to Wisher, the Star-Spangled Banner Flag House drew in a ghost figure into the painting that represents the young girl. Due to our uncertainty of what she looked like, the placeholder is a traced line, but the recognition is tangible.



www.nps.gov

Grace Wisher - Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov www.nps.gov

americanhistory.si.edu

The African American girl who helped make the Star-Spangled Banner

americanhistory.si.edu americanhistory.si.edu
 
Camille

Camille

Kitchen Wench #TeamQuaid
Staff member
This hurt my heart. I have such a love for books. My mom used to read to me every night and I developed a passion for reading, not wanting to have to wait for stories. Parts of our community embrace learning and parts have alway seen being smart as a negative, either not seeing the value or feeling threatened by those who applied themselves, accusing them of thinking they were better or giving an insult of only being "book smart". So some sought to prove they were not looking down on others by downplaying their intelligence or rejecting learning.

I remember a few years ago feminista Jones (I think) asked Black folks on twitter how many generations of readers were in the family. There were several people who were only first or second generation readers, thanks to the remnants of slavery and Jim Crow.

I think apps like Twitter and face book, which are majority text is helpful. It's a shame kids aren't being taught the love and joy of books at an early age. Don't skip the comments.

 
Politic Negro

Politic Negro

Rising Star
BGOL Investor
Camille said:



“You Have to Taste This” Features the Award-Winning Chef on A Culinary Journey Highlighting Local Restaurants and Their Signature Dishes in Atlanta, Miami, and Washington D.C.


To celebrate the rich history behind Black-owned restaurants, Pepsi is partnering with Marcus Samuelsson for a new mini-episodic docuseries called “You Have to Taste This.” Highlighting the diverse diaspora of Black cuisine in America, from Caribbean to Southern and more, the series kicks off with four episodes starting in the South that will take viewers on a culinary journey by uncovering the stories behind the chefs and their unique travel-worthy dishes. The content continues the mission behind the Pepsi Dig In platform, to amplify and drive business to Black-owned restaurants.


“It is long past time to recognize Black excellence in the culinary world. I’m thrilled to partner with Pepsi Dig In to highlight the cultural history and diverse deliciousness of so many incredible Black-owned restaurants,” said celebrated chef and author Marcus Samuelsson.


In each one-to-two-minute episode, Marcus will visit a new restaurant across the US, including his own, Red Rooster Overtown in Miami, to sit down with the respective chefs and owners to discuss everything from their own background and business upstart story to the cultural elements that define their cooking, tying it all together with the dish that makes their establishment worth the trip. Across the series, Marcus spotlights:


  • Ben’s Chili Bowl , a historic spot in Washington D.C., founded by Virginia Ali, famous for half-smoked sausage, banana pudding, chili dogs and more.
  • Dukunoo , a lively Jamaican restaurant, owned by Shrusan Gray, Leonie McKoy, and Rodrick Leighton, in Miami’s Wynwood area known for its jerk chicken, music and cocktails.
  • Slutty Vegan , an Atlanta-based vegan hotspot, founded by Pinky Cole, known for their piled-high plant-based burgers.

“With this series for Pepsi Dig In, we wanted to bring Black-owned restaurants to the forefront by honing in on the unique stories behind the food they serve. Marcus’ expertise and experience made him the perfect host to bring these stories to light, and we’ve only just scratched the surface. We hope that viewers are inspired to visit these restaurants and discover their next favorite dish,” said Chauncey Hamlett, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of PepsiCo Beverages North America (South Division).


The Pepsi Dig In initiative aims to generate at least $100 million in sales for Black-owned restaurants over the next five years. The Dig In platform also serves as an invitation for Black restaurateurs to tap into a variety of resources available from PepsiCo including business services, training, and mentorship.


Episodes of “You Have to Taste This” will be live weekly starting August 18th across the Pepsi Dig In social platforms via @PepsiDigIn and featured on Marcus Samuelsson’s YouTube channel. For the teaser visit here.
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