Amos has been described as a “true, original black American hero.”
Inventor of the famous Amos cookies dies at the age of 88
Wally Amos, the inventor of the famous Amos cookies, has died at the age of 88.
Fox – LA
Wallace “Wally” Amos, Jr., the founder of Famous Amos Cookies, died Wednesday in Hawaii at the age of 88, according to a report in the Tallahassee Democrat. Part of the USA TODAY network.
Amos, who told NPR he dedicated his life to making the perfect cookie, died at home from complications of dementia, NPR and CBS News report.
According to CBS News, his wife was at his side when he died.
“Our father inspired a whole generation of entrepreneurs,” his children said in a statement, according to news agencies.
“With his Panama hat, his kazoo and his boundless optimism, Famous Amos was a great American success story and a source of black pride. It is also part of our family history, for which we will forever be grateful and proud.”
Amos founded the cookie company in 1975, the website says. His children called him a “true, original black American hero.”
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Who was Amos?
Amos was born in Tallahassee’s Smoky Hollow neighborhood, a thriving black community in what is now downtown Tallahassee, but many residents were forced to move due to the construction of the Apalachee Parkway in the 1950s and the subsequent construction of the Florida Department of Transportation.
Amos moved to New York City at the age of 12 to live with an aunt. Although he didn’t have particularly fond memories of his childhood in Tallahassee, he never forgot where it all began.
“That was back when there was still racial segregation,” he told a Democratic reporter after a visit in 2006. “There was racism everywhere, and it was just not a good time for me. Today I can say that I am proud to be from Tallahassee. It was the best trip ever.”
He visited his birthplace several times, including in 2006, 1995 and 1994, when Democratic entertainment columnist Mark Hinson was there to cover his homecoming.
Cookie Kahuna and the Sharks
Amos, saying he was not a good businessman, sold Famous Amos and the rights to use his name.
“I’m not a businessman, and my focus wasn’t on how much money I was going to make,” Amos said in Season 8, Episode 3 of Shark Tank, which aired in 2016. “I just wanted to have fun.”
He subsequently demanded $50,000 from the Sharks for a 20 percent stake in his new cookie company, Cookie Kahuna.
Using his kazoo and cookies, he tried to impress the five sharks and convince them to invest in his company. All five sharks rejected the offer.
In 2017, he left the company, according to a video he posted on YouTube.
Julia is a trends reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered a variety of topics, from local business and government in her hometown of Miami to technology and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram And TikTok: @juliamariegz
