There’s A Lot to Learn Through Our Black History Series

Since February we've been hosting a series of monthly virtual events called Know Your Black History, which focus on the intersection of Black history and food through the lenses of culture, diet, land sovereignty, and economics. In anticipation of our upcoming June event, Know Your Black Texas History: Juneteenth, we've rounded up recordings of the previous panels in one easy to watch playlist. Check out the videos below to hear from Black chefs, food writers, sommeliers, farmers, educators, and more, and register for our upcoming event on June 16!

Know Your Black History: Tracing the African Diaspora's Flavors
February 17, 2021

Featuring: Jackie Summers, JackFromBrooklyn Inc, NYC.; Julia Coney, Black Wine Professionals; Valerie Erwin, Chef and Food Justice Activist, Philadelphia; Erick Williams, Virtue Restaurant & Bar, Chicago; and moderated by Casandra Rosario, Food Before Love, NYC 

There’s never a bad time to explore the origins and evolution of the foods we know and love, our relationships to our favorite dishes, and the ancestors who handed them down. In this special panel, we brought together culinary historians and professionals to share tales of dishes, drinks, and cultural heritage stemming from Black communities across the globe.

Know Your Black History: Vegan Edition
March 17, 2021

Featuring: Tracye McQuirter, MPH, Author and Vegan Educator; Francesca Chaney, Founder and CEO, Sol Sips; Shenarri Greens, Executive Chef, Cadence, NYC; moderated by Casandra Rosario, Food Before Love, NYC

Any conversation about veganism has to include the African Diaspora. Plant-based cooking has long been a part of Black culture, from meals to medicinal remedies that heal and nourish communities. The growing Afro-Vegan world thrives on education and growth, and for this special event, our panelists discussed how they revolutionize veganism within the Black community one plate at a time.

Know Your Black History: The Power of Food
May 19, 2021

Featuring: JBF Leadership Award Winner Leah Penniman, Soul Fire Farm, Petersburg, NY; Kurt Evans and Stephanie Willis, Everybody Eats Philly, Philadelphia; and moderated by Casandra Rosario, Food Before Love, NYC

From the Black Panther Party’s free breakfast program to the local food pantries and community fridges which have cropped up in the wake of COVID-19, neighbors feeding one another has always been a meaningful part of the American story. This installment of our Know Your Black History series explored how different groups are addressing food apartheid in their own communities.

Know Your Black History: Breaking the Business Model Mold
May 21, 2021

Featuring Omar Tate and Cybille St. Aude–Tate, Honeysuckle Projects, Philadelphia; Kristi Brown, Communion, Seattle; and Moderated by Elle Simone Scott, America’s Test Kitchen and SheChef, Inc

There are more possibilities to running an organization than the grinding cycle of invest, expand, exploit, profit, and burnout. The latest installment of the Know Your Black History series featured a panel of Black innovators and entrepreneurs breaking down counter-cultural, imaginative ways of running a business that are more rooted in community and creativity.

Register for our next event, Know Your Black Texas History: Juneteenth on June 16.

Check out our Youtube channel for recipes, panels, and more!

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Maggie Borden is director of content strategy and development at the James Beard Foundation. Find her on Instagram and Twitter.