The Nancy Green "Pancake Queen" Spring Festival

A culinary festival to honor the legacy of Nancy Green, the Original "Aunt Jemima" and Montgomery County's own "Pancake Queen".  Nancy Green was born into slavery on March 4, 1834 in Montgomery County.  As an adult, she moved to Chicago with a local family to work as a nurse and help raise their children.  Nancy was a nurse, chef, caregiver and quite the pancake maker!  She became known in the community for her delicious pancakes, and in 1890, was hired by R.T. Davis Milling Co. to be a spokesperson for the company.  She became the first living trademark and model in America to portray the "Aunt Jemima" character.  Nancy was proclaimed the "Pancake Queen" after selling more than 50,000 boxes of pancake mix at the 1893 World's Columbian Fair in Chicago.  Thomas Edison, you know the great electrician who invented the light bulb?  He was found at that world's fair sitting by himself, quietly enjoying her pancakes.  Nancy Green, the original "Aunt Jemima" and America's first living trademark was famous!  Pretty cool that the original "Aunt Jemima" was born and raised right here in Montgomery County, Kentucky!  Nancy Green became known all over the world as the "Pancake Queen".  She was a culinary icon, nurse, activist, and missionary who worked with the impoverished youth in Chicago until her death on August 30th, 1923.  She spent her life serving others and today we are celebrating and remembering her for her extraordinary accomplishments.