Emma Dupree
Appearance
Emma Dupree was an herbalist and traditional healer (sometimes called a "granny woman") in Falkland, Pitt County, North Carolina.
Background
Born in 1897, the seventh among 18 siblings, Dupree grew up on the Tar River and was known in her family as "that little medicine thing" because of her early understanding of herbs. Her parents, Pennia and Noah Williams, were freed slaves farming in Falkland, NC.[1]
She was married for one year to Ethan Cherry, a farmer. She divorced him and remarried another farmer, Austin Dupree. Emma and Austin moved to Fountain, NC in 1936 and had five children. They remained married until his death at age 90.[1]
Awards and recognition
- (1984) Dupree was awarded the Brown-Hudson Award by the North Carolina Folklore Society, recognizing her as an individual who contributed significantly to the transmission, appreciation and observance of traditional culture and folklife in North Carolina.
- (1992) Dupree received the North Carolina Heritage Award, lifetime achievement recognition for outstanding traditional artists in North Carolina.[2]
References
- ^ a b "Herbalist, 94, Lets Nature Heal". Tulsa World. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
- ^ "North Carolina Heritage Award - NC Folklife Institute". NC Folklife Institute. Retrieved 2016-04-05.