2 chapters across the catalog
Culinary historian Michael Twitty explores the history of Southern cuisine through his book "The Cooking Gene" and his residency at Colonial Williamsburg. Twitty argues that enslaved Africans laid the foundation for American food by cultivating small, self-sustaining garden plots. Because they were often prohibited from owning large livestock, chickens and guinea fowl became symbols of empowerment and status within the enslaved community.
Michael Twitty discusses his journey from a sense of self-hatred regarding his Black identity to finding pride through culinary history. Inspired by the autobiographical works of James Baldwin and Maya Angelou, Twitty used food as a "microscope" to examine his heritage. His project aims to encourage others to own every aspect of their identity by understanding the foundational contributions of their ancestors.
