Pancake Entrepreneur Tells Al Sharpton: You Don't Speak for Me

There’s a clash brewing over what it means to be Black in America during its 250th birthday—and it’s playing out in the most unlikely arena: the breakfast aisle.

Comedian and entrepreneur Terrence K. Williams, founder of Cousin T’s pancake mix, just issued a direct and unapologetic rebuttal to Rev. Al Sharpton’s call for Black Americans and Black-owned businesses to boycott America’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebration on July 4th. At the National Action Network’s 35th Anniversary National Convention in April 2026, Sharpton framed the milestone as fundamentally hollow for the Black community, arguing,“We were slaves then, and they celebrate signing the Declaration of Independence 1776. We were not even emancipated until 1863. So I don’t know what everybody getting ready for a celebration [for].”

Williams’response hits harder than a standard political disagreement—it’s personal. He put George Washington on his America 250 Cousin T’s pancake box, a choice he knew would court controversy. But rather than back down, Williams doubled down on nuance.“Yes, I proudly put George Washington on my America 250 Cousin T’s pancake box,”he wrote.“He owned slaves, but that is not his entire legacy. He was also our first president and helped build the nation that gave people like me the freedom to rise.”

What makes Williams’stance particularly striking is his framing of his own life as evidence. Rising from foster care to building a successful Black-owned American company, he argues he’s living proof that America’s promise, however incomplete its history, is real and tangible.“I went from foster care to building Cousin T’s, a successful Black-owned American company,”he wrote.“I am living the American Dream.”It’s a challenge to the idea that Black Americans should treat the country’s milestone with skepticism rather than participation.

The responses have been largely supportive. One commenter drew a parallel to Max Ehrmann’s“Desiderata,”writing that Williams’words carried the poem’s essence:“You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. Be yourself. Authentic. Inspiring.”Another observer offered a wry take:“Look on the bright side, at least they won’t be at the party. How is that bad for the party people?”

This isn’t just a celebrity spat—it’s a fundamental disagreement about whose voice gets to define Black American identity and how to reckon with complicated history. Sharpton’s perspective carries weight rooted in decades of activism and witnessed pain. But Williams’counterargument strikes at something equally important: individual agency and the right to define your own relationship with your country. As of now, Sharpton’s representatives haven’t issued a public response to Williams’comments. But the conversation is just getting started.