Lillian Richard

Lillian Richard (March 23, 1891 – July 2, 1956) was an African-American actress best known for portraying Aunt Jemima.

Biography

She was born March 23, 1891, in Hawkins, Texas, the fifth of eleven children born to Derry Richard and his wife Cornelia (née Washington). She grew up in the nearby community of Fouke, Texas. One of her siblings was George Richard, grandfather of Stanley Richard, a retired safety for the San Diego Chargers and the Washington Redskins.

In 1910, Richard went to Dallas, working initially as a cook. Circa 1912, she married Golden Leflore, who died roughly two years later of tuberculosis. She married James Diggs in 1935.

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.