31: The Life of Augustus Jackson: The Father of Modern Ice Cream
- Author
- Toni Davis
- Published
- Wed 09 Jul 2025
- Episode Link
- https://LegacyMakersStoriesofBlackInventorsandIconsPodcast.libsyn.com
Date: July 9, 2025
Legacy Makers: Stories of Black Inventors and Icons
Title and Show Info
Episode #31. The Life of Augustus Jackson: The Father of Modern Ice Cream
Featuring: Toni Davis (Host & Storyteller).
Summary
🍨"The Ice Cream King History Forgot – The Sweet Legacy of Augustus Jackson" 👑🍦
You think you know ice cream, but have you heard of the man who revolutionized your favorite summer treat? Meet Augustus Jackson, the 19th-century culinary genius, former White House chef, and the unsung Father of Modern Ice Cream. 👨🏾🍳❄️
Before Baskin Robbins had 31 flavors, and before Ben met Jerry, Augustus Jackson was crafting frozen perfection in Philadelphia. Pioneering the use of salt to control freezing temperatures and developing innovative packaging that brought ice cream to the masses. Without a single patent to his name. 🧂🧊📦
In this tasty tale, we melt through history, uncovering how a free African American entrepreneur in the 1800s built a dessert empire, defied the odds, and chilled the competition. All while laying the foundation for a multi-billion-dollar industry. 💼💰
But why isn't his name on every cone, carton, and craving? 🍦🤔
Tune in as we scoop into a story of brilliance, invisibility, and legacy. A sprinkle of invention, a swirl of mystery, and yes, plenty of mouthwatering moments. 🍧✨
Warning: May cause sudden urges to raid your freezer. Listener discretion (and dessert) advised. 😋🎧
#HistoryWithAScoop #AugustusJackson #IceCreamOrigins #UnsungLegends #PodcastChill #SweetTreats.
Highlights:
01:09- INTRO.
01:37- AUGUSTUS JACKSON’S BIRTH.
01:56- PENNSYLVANIA’S 1780, AN ACT FOR THE GRADUAL ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.
02:05- PARENTS.
05:33- EMPLOYED AS KITCHEN HELPER AT THE WHITE HOUSE IN D.C.
07:16- PROMOTED TO HEAD COOK.
07:44- COOKS FOR THREE US PRESIDENTS.
09:05- RETURNS TO PHILADELPHIA.
09:13- STARTS HIS OWN BUSINESS.
10:34- DISCOVERS THE ROCK SALT METHOD.
11:03- DEVELOPS DIFFERENT ICE CREAM FLAVORS.
11:33- NAMES HIS BRAND OF ICE CREAM “PHILADELPHIA STYLE”.
11:45- SELLS HIS ICE CREAM $1/QUART.
12:45- BECOMES A PILLAR OF THE COMMUNITY AND A MENTOR.
13:53- DEATH.
14:31- DAUGHTER TAKES OVER THE BUSINESS.
14:38- WIFE HELPS WITH THE BUSINESS.
16:32- MODERN ICE CREAM TECHNIQUES.
17:13- HIS ICE CREAM TECHNIQUE IS STILL USED.
20:05- MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR ICE CREAM INDUSTRY.
20:35- NATIONAL ICE CREAM MONTH.
22:06- TODAY’S VALUE OF HIS ICE CREAM.
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Links To Additional Resources:
Augustus Jackson (1808-1852) [Children's Edition] • (blackpast.org)
Black History Month: The Father of Ice Cream - Frozen Dessert Supplies
Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better (Book Review) | Here Wee Read
Ice Cream Man : How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better - Stories Like Me
How Chef Augustus Jackson Changed Ice Cream Forever (yahoo.com)
PowerPoint Presentation (manoogian.org)
Did Augustus Jackson invent ice cream? - New Statesman
Ice Cream History - Hemings, Jackson, Cralle | The Kitchn
Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better (publishersweekly.com)
ICE CREAM MAN: HOW AUGUSTUS JACKSON MADE A SWEET TREAT BETTER – WRITERS' RUMPUS (writersrumpus.com)
Why Augustus Jackson Is Called the Father of Ice Cream | Cook's Country (americastestkitchen.com)
Augustus Jackson at emaze Presentation
DROP of Black History - Augustus Jackson - THE DROP (thedrop303.org)
Augustus Jackson, the 'father of ice cream' you probably didn't know (blackfacts.com)
Augustus Jackson - MOFAD | The Legacy Quilt Project at MOFAD
Who Invented Ice Cream? (thoughtco.com)
Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better | Reading Rockets
Ice Cream Man: How Augustus Jackson Made a Sweet Treat Better - A Book And A Hug
Augustus Jackson / SamePassage
Augustus Jackson - MOFAD | The Legacy Quilt Project at MOFAD
