Category: Rachel Flowers
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1922: Chicken and Waffle Dinner
Under the “Personal and Social News Items” section in the Harrisburg Telegraph August 11, 1922 Miss Rachel Flowers Hostess at Summer Home Miss Rachel H. Flowers, of Brandtsville, entertained at a chicken and waffle dinner at her country home. The guest included: Mrs. Lucie Arrington, Mrs. Smith, Miss. Rebecca Scott, Miss Gladyce Flowers, Mrs. Hilda Flowers […]
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The Life of Rachel H. Flowers (1900-1988)
Still piecing together this journal article. It is difficult to write without access to a library or archives, but I am pressing through with this piece. Rachel Flowers holds a special place in my journey as a historian because it all began with this research. Figure 1. Rachel Flowers in Class—1, 1916-1918, Messiah College Archives. Below—back […]
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Reading Images in the Archives
Rachel Flowers, Messiah College Archives This was the first image I encountered of Rachel Flowers a decade ago (a WHOLE DECADE AGO). It was my first semester of college and I saw the above image in the college’s library. Messiah College recently celebrated its centennial anniversary and posters honoring the institution’s multicultural century hung across campus. […]
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Rachel’s Journey to Messiah.
Been gone for a minute. I will post soon about an update on the graduate program and life, but for now we will start where I left off–my research on Rachel H. Flowers. Over the next few weeks, I am slowly updating older post and changing the look of the blog. So stay tune for […]
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“Greenview Dwelling”: Finding the Flowers Family’s Home
In the early twentieth-century, Rachel Flowers was a Black socialite in the Harrisburg and Philadelphia region. Her parties attracted members of the Black middle class and due to her educational activism, also educators from New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and even Bermuda. When her events were hosted in Harrisburg, news articles referred to her country […]
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Differing Opinions: Segregation in Philadelphia’s Public Schools During the 1930s
As I complete the second chapter of my thesis, I re-read Rachel’s articles published in the Philadelphia Tribune between 1931-1933. Her eloquence, her writing, and her activism is always worth admiring. In her first article, “What Have You to Say?: A System that Breeds Prejudice, she directed her argument against a previous article written by Jas […]
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Part Three: The Flowers Family and The Black Church
Harry Flowers —-/—-Nancy Sawyer | ———————————————————————————— Chauncey Fred John Rachel Theodore Vincent Gladyce Hilda Philadelphia In West Philadelphia born and raised…perhaps not the best introduction; however, the young women of the Flowers family did call Philadelphia home following their father’s death. For Rachel and Gladyce, Wesley AME Zion became their spiritual home during the late 1920s. […]
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The Black Church and the Flowers Family (Part II)
Wesley Union AME Zion Church The image of this church was taken at its original location on the corner of Tanner’s Alley and South Street in Harrisburg. From Pennsylvania to Florida Reverend J.J. Sawyer was a powerful member within the Florida AME Church. He even introduced the Independent African Methodist Episcopal Church which was quickly […]
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The Journey in Finding Mrs. Rachel Ellerbee
I have been researching Mrs. Rachel since 2012. For the past two years, I have discovered and learned an endless amount of information about this beautiful courageous woman and her family. Despite this journey with the Flowers, there obviously remains missing pieces in their story, particularly Rachel’s story. It never ceases to amaze me of […]
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It is All in the Name
So, you all know that my name is Christina. I was named after a fictional character in a novel my mom was reading while I was “baking in her oven”. I have no complaints about my name; it simply fits me. As with life, I have been called numerous nicknames. We have Chris, Christy, Tina, […]
Diary of a Historian 