Episode 283 - The Seamstresses of Liberty
Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email.
Happy belated Flag Day! On this week’s Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, Dianne and Jennie are honoring the women behind the American flag. You know Betsy Ross, but do you know Mary Pickersgill and Grace Wisher? Did Betsy Ross really make the first flag? And why does she have three possible burial sites in Philadelphia? And how did Mary Pickersgill, a widowed business owner, and Grace Wisher, a free young woman of color indentured to Mary, inspire Francis Scott Key to write the poem that became our National Anthem?
Jennie and Dianne weave together the myths, historical facts, and the graves that hold their stories while celebrating how these women, and so many others like them, literally stitched our country together!
Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com
Family Tales: A free printable is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharing
Resources used to research this episode include:
"The History and Evolution of the American Flag ." https://www.nationalflagfoundation.org/. 1 June 2026. www.nationalflagfoundation.org/flag-history-evolution/. Accessed 15 June 2026.
"Elizabeth “Betsy” Ross ." https://friendsofmountmoriahcemetery.org/. friendsofmountmoriahcemetery.org/about/notable-burials/elizabeth-betsy-ross/. Accessed 15 June 2026.
"Mary Pickersgill ." https://www.nps.gov/. 10 Oct. 2019. www.nps.gov/people/mary-pickersgill.htm. Accessed 15 June 2026.
"Grace Wisher ." https://www.nps.gov/. 5 Jan. 2021. www.nps.gov/fomc/learn/historyculture/grace-wisher.htm. Accessed 15 June 2026.