Deseret News – July 23, 2012
When Brigham Young first entered the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, he did so in the back of a fine, white carriage donated to the Mormon pioneer leader by a faithful follower, James Madison Flake.
Young was ill and couldn’t drive the rig himself, so Green Flake drove the carriage and was among those who actually heard Young say, “This is the right place.”
And then, speaking to Green Flake, Young added, “Drive on!” Green Flake, at that time a black slave, was later given his freedom by Young. …
For a poem about Green Flake, see http://www.blacklds.org/community/green-flake-and-abraham-poem
Also of interest http://www.chriswkite.blogspot.com/2012/07/they-bulders-of-nation-freeing-captives.html
Awesome – James Madison Flake is my great-great-grandfather 🙂
Hi Devin, the MPNHA is doing a series of TV shows entitled “Discovery Road”. In late September we will be traveling the Mormon Trail prior to going to Mackinac Island where we will be filming a show about Maude Adams, a famous actress born in Salt Lake, who was the inspiration for the movie “Somewhere in Time”. While on the Mormon trail, we want to do a “Discovery Road” piece about Green Flake. Could you provide us any family insights about him that we may have missed. For example, did he ever travel to places like Manti or Kanab. We are trying to identify a black pioneer presence outside of Salt Lake-Ogden, but have not been successful.
We will have an African American with us on the filming trip. He is returning from a mission in Madagascar a couple of weeks before joining us. We want to have him tell the story of the “Negro pioneers”. Any stories you have will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Monte Bona, Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area