Yesterday's Tomorrow African American Mobile Museum will begin Women's History Month with an event featuring a descendant of an East Texas woman who portrayed Aunt Jemima.
The nonprofit mobile museum will host Vera Richard Harris, a descendant of Lillian Richard, on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Better Business Bureau Serving Central East Texas, located at 6115 New Copeland Rd. Suite 710 in Tyler.
Richard, who was born in Hawkins, was one of the women who portrayed Aunt Jemima from 1925 to 1940. In 1995, the Texas Legislature passed a resolution declaring Hawkins the "Pancake Capital of Texas". A Texas Historical Marker was placed in Richard's name on June 30, 2012.
On March 23, Hawkins will celebrate its annual Pancake Festival hosted by the Hawkins Chamber of Commerce.
Published author and playwright MsBoddie SpeakLife will also be in attendance at Saturday's event.
Marlondos C. Fields, founder and curator of Yesterday's Tomorrow African American Mobile Museum, said he provides East Texans a glimpse back into history with his traveling exhibit. As a retired U.S. Navy veteran, Fields, has collected over 2,000 artifacts during his 20-year military career traveling the world. His passion and love for history led him to create the traveling exhibit, according to his website.