The Ancestors' Apron

"Old" Arthur Watts

"Old" Arthur Watts

In the mid-19th century, the evolution of Southern wood-smoke cooking was heavily restricted by the institutions of bondage, waiting for a historic milestone to honor the foundational contributions of enslaved...

"Old" Arthur Watts

In the mid-19th century, the evolution of Southern wood-smoke cooking was heavily restricted by the institutions of bondage, waiting for a historic milestone to honor the foundational contributions of enslaved...

Joseph Lee

Joseph Lee

In the late 19th century, pioneering automated culinary technology was an extraordinary milestone for a Black man navigating the competitive post-Civil War hospitality industry. Joseph Lee was a successful baker...

Joseph Lee

In the late 19th century, pioneering automated culinary technology was an extraordinary milestone for a Black man navigating the competitive post-Civil War hospitality industry. Joseph Lee was a successful baker...

Mary & Deborah Jones

Mary & Deborah Jones

In the late 20th century, the evolution of Southern wood-smoke cooking was heavily male-dominated, waiting for a historic milestone to honor the foundational contributions of Black women. It took a...

Mary & Deborah Jones

In the late 20th century, the evolution of Southern wood-smoke cooking was heavily male-dominated, waiting for a historic milestone to honor the foundational contributions of Black women. It took a...

Edna Lewis

Edna Lewis

In 1976, publishing a beautifully evocative culinary memoir was an extraordinary milestone for a Black woman raised in a community founded by emancipated slaves. “Edna Lewis was born in 1916...

Edna Lewis

In 1976, publishing a beautifully evocative culinary memoir was an extraordinary milestone for a Black woman raised in a community founded by emancipated slaves. “Edna Lewis was born in 1916...

Chef Emanuel

Chef Emanuel

Elite 18th-century civic gatherings required true mastery. High-society banquets demanded sophisticated fine dining. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that master was Chef Emanuel. He was a celebrated African American chef. He revolutionized...

Chef Emanuel

Elite 18th-century civic gatherings required true mastery. High-society banquets demanded sophisticated fine dining. In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that master was Chef Emanuel. He was a celebrated African American chef. He revolutionized...

Desiree Robinson

Desiree Robinson

In the late 20th century, the evolution of Southern wood-smoke cooking was heavily male-dominated, waiting for a historic milestone to honor the foundational contributions of Black women. It took a...

Desiree Robinson

In the late 20th century, the evolution of Southern wood-smoke cooking was heavily male-dominated, waiting for a historic milestone to honor the foundational contributions of Black women. It took a...