The African American Heritage Society of Williamson County’s August Porch Talk on Monday, August 19 is all about the spicy origins of “Nashville Hot Chicken.” Featured speakers include Ms. Andre Prince Jeffries, whose family founded the original hot chicken recipe Prince’s Hot Chicken and Ms. Thelma Battle, who will share the Prince family’s connection to Franklin.
Porch Talks is the original name of the guest speaker series, previously conducted on the McLemore House Porch, but with very hot weather the last few years, the location has changed to the Williamson County Public Library (1315 Columbia Ave., Franklin).
Ms. Jeffries is currently a resident of Franklin, but hot chicken originated in Nashville over 80 years ago and was started by her uncle Thorton Prince. Ms. Prince and Prince’s Hot Chicken are well-known in the Nashville and surrounding counties and states but those attending will get to hear firsthand the amazing story of how the hot chicken business and the restaurant came about.
According to Ms. Jeffries, former Mayor Bill Purcell is part of the story for he did research at Harvard that validated the Prince family as being the first family to originate hot chicken. They are great friends today and former Mayor Purcell, started the ”Hot Chicken Festival,” which is a popular annual event in Nashville.
Ms. Thelma Battle, Williamson County African American historian, will share some history on the family and how they are part of the Franklin story. Ms. Battle is a Franklin icon, who has researched African American history in Williamson County for decades. Without her deliberate and determined work in this area the community would be sorely lacking in the preservation and interpreting of African American history here.
For more information on the African American Heritage Society of Williamson County, visit aahswc.org.
