Photo by Ricardo Gomez Angel on Unsplash
Black History Month 2021
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Celebrate black history month by plugging into some of the virtual food events available throughout February, hosted by African American chefs and distillers to culinary historians and innovators. Here are some of the events available online.
6 February
'From the Continent to the Americas: Foodways, Culture and Traditions in the African American Family'
Duration: Two-hours
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History is offering a free event featuring a panel of historians, chefs, and authors in a discussion about the role of food in the life and culture of the African diaspora. Panellists include Gina Paige, CEO and Founder of African Ancestry; Carla Hall, author and celebrity chef; Stephanie Evans, scholar and author, Georgia State University; and Daphne Maxwell Reid, actor (Fresh Prince of Bel Air) and author of the cookbook, Grace + Soul & Mother Wit.
Register here
10 February
'Black Smoke: The History of African American Barbecue'
Duration: One-hour
The Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) brings rocket scientist and BBQ historian Howard Conyers, PhD, pitmasters Ed and Ryan Mitchell, and culinary historian and author Adrian Miller together for a virtual celebration of the Black culinary heritage of American BBQ.
Register here
12 February
'Live Panel with Black Culinary Leaders'
Marcus Samuelsson hosts a live virtual panel discussion on Soul of Seattle with culinary leaders Mashama Bailey, Eric Adjepong, Kwame Onwuachi, Edouardo Jordan, and Shakirah Simley.
Book a ticket here
16 February
'Growing Rice: A Migration Story from Seed to Plate'
Length: One-hour
The Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) hosts a virtual event exploring the history of rice with Savona Bailey-McClain, chef of rice restaurant FIELDTRIP, JJ Johnson, author of the upcoming RICE cookbook, culinary historian Michael Twitty, and rice farmer Nfamara Badjie.
Register here
17 February
'Know Your Black History: Tracing the African Diaspora’s Flavors and Techniques'
The James Beard Foundation brings together culinary historians and professionals to share tales of dishes, drinks, and cultural heritage stemming from Black communities across the globe. Featuring: Jackie Summers, JackFromBrooklyn Inc, NYC.; Julia Coney, Black Wine Professionals; Valerie Erwin, Chef and Food Justice Activist, Philadelphia; and moderated by Casandra Rosario, Food Before Love, NYC.
Register here.
17 February
'Uncle Nearest: Untold Stories Behind the Whiskey Still'
Duration: 90 minutes
The Museum of Food and Drink and Green Space explores the history and traditions of African American distillers with Fawn Weaver, the CEO of Uncle Nearest Whiskey, Garrett Oliver, Brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery, and Shannon Mustipher, author of TIKI: Modern Tropical Cocktails.
Register here
23 February
'Coastal Roots: Tracing the Ancestral History of Farming and Cooking in Georgia'
Duration: One-hour
The Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD) hosts chef and farmer Matthew Raiford of Gilliard Farms, Chef Mashama Bailey of The Grey, and moderator Adrian Lipscombe, restaurant owner and founder of The 40 Acres and a Mule Project, as they explore the ancestral roots of farming and coastal cooking in Georgia.
Register here
25 February
'The Legacy of Food Activism: A Storytelling Event'
Duration: One-hour
The Museum of Food and Drink (MOFAD)holds a free virtual event of storytelling, poetry, and conversation featuring special guests like Therese Nelson of Black Culinary History, Chef Omar Tate of Honeysuckle, and Paola Velez of Bakers Against Racism who will share their own stories about how food became a tool for activism, connecting the dots between past and present of food activism.
Register here
26 February
The Soul of Seattle wraps up their month-long Friday events with a Virtual Dance party with special guest DJ Questlove.
Buy tickets here