On This Day In Alabama History: Artist And Poet Maria Howard Weeden Was Born

Alabama News Center | July 6, 2017 @ 5:01 am

By Graydon Rust
Alabama 200

July 6, 1846

Artist and poet Maria Howard Weeden was born in Huntsville. Weeden gained international recognition for her portraits of underrepresented former slaves. She preferred to use watercolors and brushes with only three hairs to capture the delicate details. Later, Weeden began writing poetry in regional black dialect based on the stories of the freed people she depicted, including the notable poems “Beaten Biscuit” and “Mother and Mammy.” She eventually published four well-received books of poetry with accompanying illustrations. Weeden was inducted into the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame and her legacy is preserved in the Weeden House Museum in Huntsville.

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