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Federal Writers Project

Viola B. Muse

Mrs. Hattie Chisolm was born in Milton, FlaFlorida, December 22, 1878 —, and was the only child born to Lewis and Johanna Jackson.

She spent her infancy in Milton but was carried to Pensacola, where she resided until 1888.

Her education was very limited, having reached only the third grade in school.

At the age of 19 years, Hattie was joined in matrimony to Alexander Chisolm, with whom she lived until his death in 1933. To this union one son, Charles, was born.

In 1925, another negroNegro woman, Mrs. Essie Gamble, interested Mrs. Chisolm in the making of waxed flowers. The two women worked to–gether for some time, but finally Mrs. Chisolm wanted more information about this art, so began buying catalogues of artificial floral pieces. From the catalogues, she would grasp ideas, and her know–ledge in selecting the correct natural colors of flowers grew. She learned to match the color of a rose to the exact shade of the growing flower and to make stem and leaf of the same green which nature provides.

The waxing of these paper flowers was a much 2 Viola B. Muse Due to a technical limitation, we are not currently able to right-align this header, nor the one on the following page. more difficult art ^than making the flower, but by trying over and over untiringly, she finally managed to mould the petals while the wax was warm, so that a very natural appearance was attained.

From the simple boquetbouquet, Hattie Chisolm began making more difficult designs, and soon found herself able to make any kind of floral piece called for.

In this interesting vocation she found much pleasure, and soon a lucrative business was built up. People from every part of Jacksonville became interested in waxed flowers, and in almost every section could be seen first one, and then another, trying to immitateimitate her work.

There were those who entered the field for the compensation it brought in dollars and cents, but Hattie was not satisfied with the ordinary class of work and worked untiringly to perfect this art. Finally, she was rewarded, for upon several occasions her floral designs were so perfect in appearance, people stooped to smell of the flowers before they became aware that they were artificial.

Mrs. Chisolm's son became blind about the time she began making flowers, and she, together with her husband, supported him 3 Viola B. Muse and made an excellent living by the aid of the artificial floral design industry.

In 1932, when the Depression reached such a high peak and unemployment was of such extent, the flower business, like all others, began to wane,. Although she can notcannot make a living from this art now, she still produces the same beautiful designs whenever called upon.

Since entering this field of art, Mrs. Chisolm has taught and inspired numerous negroNegro women, and often white people tried to sit and watch her work when they had occasion to call at her home on business.

Through a period of eight years, negroNegro people of Jacksonville almost altogether bought artificial floral designs for funerals, and only until about 1932 has the demand for such lessened.

Mrs. Chisolm, who is now a widow, together with her son Charles, lives at 728 W.West Duval StStreet, Jacksonville, Fla.Florida.