The longgone coon chicken inn restaurant chain claimed in its advertising that it was nationally famous. A the confederate states of america, a movie that presented an alternate history where the confederacy won the. In an oral history interview recorded by ester mumford in 1975. This is one of the best condition coon chicken inn matchbooks that has ever been offered on ebay. The last remaining coon chicken inn location closed in 1957. Series 1, coon chicken inn business records, 19261948. New coon chicken inn decorations are being applied to restaurant china with confusing back stamps. Coon chicken inn records and graham family papers, box 4, folder 4. The name itself, an abbreviation of raccoon, is dehumanizing.
North seattles beacon of bigotry by catherine roth. Again, we want to stress we do not intend to offend anyone, and are only preserving a part of history that should remind us all of the senselessness of racial prejudice. Celebrate black history month by learning more about the great men and women of the past and those of today. All ten matches are complete and intact there is very subtle wear to this matchbook. Coon chicken inn portland, oregon nationally famous. May 11, 2014 the longgone coon chicken inn restaurant chain claimed in its advertising that it was nationally famous. The menu itself was shaped in the outline of the coons face and opened outward in two book. A commerical for coon chicken inn was featured in the 2004 mockumentary c.
Obviously theres the historical aspect of it, and for that reason it should be preserved, butpopular. Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books, kindle ebooks, audible audiobooks, and so much more. A coon chicken inn advertisement is a plot device in ghost world, a 2001 american comedydrama film directed by terry zwigoff. The history of coon chicken inn antiblack imagery jim. Although it was primarily a restaurant and was not officially within the seattle city limits at the time, seattles coon chicken inn, across from the jolly roger, added the cotton club, a popular liquor and dance club shortly after prohibition. To grasp the severity of the logos use, one must understand the racist history behind the coon caricature. Of course, fried chicken is a particularly racially charged dish.
The coon differed from the sambo in subtle but important ways. If you do not already know, the entrance was through the gap toothed mouth of a black railroad porter billboard. Coon songs almost always aimed to be funny and incorporated the syncopated rhythms of ragtime music. I believe that was a bit of an exaggeration then but it might be true now. The story of the coon chicken inn lessons from history medium. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. In keeping with the older minstrel image of blacks, coon songs often featured watermelon. The coon chicken inn, a friedchicken restaurant at 20th avenue northeast and northeast 85th street in seattle, remained popular until the late 1940s. In some cases, the new decorations have been applied to genuinely old objects. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. The seattle branch part of a larger chain founded by maxon lester graham 18971977 in salt lake city, utah in 1925 opened its doors in august 1930. The same image was plastered on everything from the menu, to advertisements, silverware, and takeout containers see more coon chicken inn imagery below. The story of the coon chicken inn lessons from history.
Guide to the coon chicken inn records and graham family papers. Its hard to believe a place with a name like the coon chicken inn would ever have existed in polite, politically correct seattle. The entrances were sculptures created to look like one was walking into a smiling blackface caricature of a black porter with a large head and exaggerated features including large lips. Life after death experience nde with steve gardipee, vietnam war story one of the best ndes duration. May 30, 2010 you can access coon chicken inn online they were in three cities. Their take on southern fried chicken was a hit and by 1930 they opened two additional sites in washington and oregon. Unlike the actual chain, the restaurant chain in the film changed its name to cooks chicken to hide its racially insensitive past, and was still in business in modern times. In keeping with the older minstrel image of blacks, coon songs often featured watermelon and chicken loving rural buffoons. Its presentday fame, more accurately its notoriety, is based on its objectionable name and use of a grotesque racist image on.
The coon chicken inn was a popular roadside restaurant just beyond seattle city limits from 19301949. Antique early 20thc german black americana mechanical lithograph man novelty. That was the tagline used in advertisements for the restaurant. The coon chicken inn was a restaurant chain from the 1920s1950s founded by maxon lester graham in salt lake city, later opening locations in seattle and portland. The books homepage helps you explore earths biggest bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch.
A utahbased chicken restaurant that thrived for almost three decades proved that in defiance of accepted contemporary convictions. Whatever happened to the chicken restaurant with the. Uncle tom, blackface, black brute, coon song, criminal black man stereotype, angelfood mcspade, rastus, coon chicken inn, black american princess, house negro, colored peoples time, how rastus gets his turkey, jim crow museum of racist memorabilia. Its presentday fame, more accurately its notoriety, is based on its objectionable name and use of a grotesque racist image on buildings, delivery. Coon chicken inn in antiblack restaurants then and now on. Coon chicken inn records and graham family papers sova. The coon chicken inn was founded in salt lake city, ut in 1925 by maxon lester graham. A grinning, grotesque head of a bald black man with a porters cap and winking eye formed a restaurants entryway. Very rare 1930s coon chicken inn full pull quick matchbook. A jawdropping symbol of not deep south, but pacific northwest racial bigotry. Texas restaurant under scrutiny for racist coon chicken. Born in february 1930, just months before the cci opened its doors, seattle native jean stewart recalls growing up a mere three blocks south of the cci. The history of coon chicken inn antiblack imagery jim crow. The first coon chicken inn opened in 1925 after the grahams bought and renovated a small building in the sugar house neighborhood of salt lake city.
Coon chicken inn brings to seattle and the northwest a nationallyfamous method of cookery, and provides a novel, pleasing restaurant at which youll enjoy eating. Fyi, we lived not too far from there on 57th and ne broadway and the later prime rib was a destination for good food and special events. Be creative in how you join in this celebration and honor the people who are part of black history. This was a restaurant chain on the late 1920s to late 1950s this is an interactive site people will be able to ask questions and post pictures thank you. Coon chicken inn menu black americana history seattle restaurant lot of 6. After opening restaurants in salt lake city in 1925 and seattle in 1929, maxon graham opened a third location in portland in 1930, serving its. The term came into prominence during 19thcentury minstrel shows through a character named zip coon.
The restaurants, which featured fried chicken, soon expanded into seattle, washington and portland, oregon. The first cinematic coon appeared in wooing and wedding of a coon selig, 1905, a stupendously racist portrayal of two dimwitted and stuttering buffoons. The coon chicken inn and utahs hidden history of racism. Coon chicken inn was famously known for its racist coon caricature logo that. For a century, the route of highway 99 has been the main transportation corridor in western washington. Aged reproduction coon chicken inn paper menu, in good condition. Graham was already an established businessman, having secured the ownership of a metz automobile dealership in 19. Serving deliciously different southern fried coon chicken worlds largest poultry operating its own bakeries and poultry farms. Jul 10, 2015 of course, fried chicken is a particularly racially charged dish. Highland drive in 1925, when maxon lester graham and his wife adelaide burt wanted to bring a fastfood. As with sambo, the coon was portrayed as a lazy, easily frightened, chronically idle, inarticulate, buffoon.
Papers, archives center, national museum of american history, smithsonian. Texas restaurant under scrutiny for racist coon chicken inn. Seattles historic restaurants by robin shannon arcadia. Minstrel shows were not confined to the deep south they from 1910 to 1920 proliferated throughout the northwest, including utah, just before maxon lester graham and his wife adelaide founding the. See more ideas about black history, african american history and american history. The coon chicken inn restaurant chain was founded by maxon lester graham in the salt lake city area around 1924. Forest and farm products, fish, and families have all been a part of the flow of business and recreational travel between the canadian border at blaine and the columbia river at vancouver.
See more ideas about lake city, chicken and seattle. Texas restaurant defends coon chicken inn blackface. Use this opportunity to teach your children or to show your support for those who have achieved their dreams. By the early 40s this appears to have dwindled to simply a coffee shop with a jukebox. In the misty, coffeetable histories of the american roadside dining experience, the coon chicken inn restaurant chain, founded in salt lake city in 1925, rarely makes an appearance, though it. The coon chicken inn was a highly successful restaurant chain. You can access coon chicken inn online they were in three cities. Born in february 1930, just months before the cci opened its doors, seattle native jean stewart recalls growing up a. A coon songs defining characteristic, however, was its caricature of african americans. The worst restaurant chain in history uhoh, we now see the shameful side of seattles otherwise awesome culinary history. Coon chicken inn records and graham family papers nmah. Coon chicken inn was famously known for its racist coon caricature logo that utah communication history encyclopedia utah communication history is an ongoing encyclopedia project designed to showcase studentwritten articles about utahs rich history of journalism and communication. By chris oregon the coon chicken inn was a fried chicken restaurant chain located in the pacific northwest and owned by maxon lester graham and his wife adelaide. Dec 16, 2017 the coon chicken inn was an actual restaurant started in the 20s.
The coon caricature antiblack imagery jim crow museum. The coon chicken inn at 8500 bothell way, seattle, washington. Coon chicken inn portland, oregon nationally famous serv. The coon chicken inn, a fried chicken restaurant at 20th avenue northeast and northeast 85th street in seattle, remained popular until the late 1940s. For preservation purposes the scrapbooks were dismantled and the covers and pages were placed in. The chicken is a timely, encyclopedic, sciencebased study that offers a true understanding of the species, reclaiming it from its commercial status as a mere egg and meat provider. Wickipedias coon chicken inn website with overall history. No thats not a typo, there was a restaurant called the coon chicken inn and the neon sign in the photo is an accurate replica of their logo. The salt lake city restaurants name, trademarks and entrances were designed to look like a smiling blackface picture of an african american porter.
Highquality photography, illustration, and infographics combine with engaging and authoritative text to create an accessible reference book for the general market. Local haunts like ivars acres of clams, the dog house, andys diner, clarks restaurants, coon chicken inn, frederick and nelsons tea room, the wharf, vons, the purple pup, and the jolly roger are just a few of the restaurants featured within. Coon chicken inn records and graham family papers, 191973, archives center, national museum of american history, box 4, folder 2. The coon chicken inn was a friedchicken restaurant chain located on the old bothell highway on the outskirts of the seattle city limits, in what is today the lake city neighborhood of seattle. What is now highway 99 originated as a loose network of muddy roads connecting early settlements. However, i will touch on a bit of the history of these locations and share some advertising and other pieces of history that might not be shared. Coon chicken inn ownerss grandson scotts page, explaining his fathers reasoning, while remaining anonymous, and rejecting jim crow altogether. The entrance was shaped like the head of an african american porter with exaggerated features. Guide to the coon chicken inn records and graham family.
Coon chicken inn was an american chain of four restaurants founded by maxon lester graham and adelaide burt in 1925, which prospered until the late 1950s. Coon chicken inn was founded in salt lake city, utah, by maxon lester graham and his wife adelaide burt graham. The grandson of its founder wrote a brief history of the coon chicken inn chain. Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from wikipedia or other free sources online.
The name and logo, which derived from racist caricatures of african americans, was a galling reminder of segregation and discrimination for black seattleites. Coon chicken restaurant owners defend sign after racist. Dec 16, 2017 a commerical for coon chicken inn was featured in the 2004 mockumentary c. Oct 16, 2009 the coon chicken inn was a fried chicken restaurant chain located on the old bothell highway on the outskirts of the seattle city limits, in what is today the lake city neighborhood of seattle. Thats a mighty strong statement, but youll agree after visiting seattles newest, most unique eating place that its a mighty true one. Chicken and watermelon imagery was prevalent in the our gang comedies of hal roach, and in cartoons produced well into the 1940s. The restaurants name contains the word coon, considered an ethnic slur, and the trademarks and entrances of the restaurants were designed to look like a smiling caricature of an africanamerican porter. Archives center, national museum of american history. The coon chicken inn was a friedchicken restaurant chain located on the. The first coon chicken inn was established in 1925 in salt lake city, utah.
A the confederate states of america, a movie that presented an. The coon chicken inn was a highly successful restaurant chain from the late 1920s through the 1950s. Several notable slapstick coon shorts were produced in 19101911, including how rastus got his turkey wharton, 1910 he stole it. The coon caricature is one of the most insulting of all antiblack caricatures. Seattle was a segregated city for most of the 20th century, and the popularity of the coon chicken inn must be understood in this context.
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