Coon Chicken Inn, Mammy and Sambo's

Coon Chicken Inn was more than just a restaurant chain-it was a grotesque celebration of racists  stereotypes, designed to mock and dehumanize Black people under the guise of entertainment and dining.  

Founded in 1925 by Maxon Lester Graham in Salt  Lake City, Utah, the restaurant quickly expanded to multiple locations, including Seattle, Portland, and Spokane. Its success was built entirely on the use of anti-Black caricatures, reinforcing the deeply entrenched racism that permeated American society.

From the moment customers approached the restaurant, they were confronted with an offensive and 

humiliating depiction of Black people.