"This amazing historical treasure is available again in its original form. Full of facts, photos, stories, it is arranged to commemorate dates important to the African American, and therefore
the American population. A wonderful book for a new century." —Virginia Quarterly Review
First published in 1958 by the National Council of Negro Women, The Historical Cookbook of the American Negro is a unique collection of recipes, historical facts, photos, and personal
anecdotes. With contributions from council members in thirty-six states plus the District of Columbia, it offers exceptional insight into American history and the African American community at
the time of its publication.
Arranged according to the calendar year, the cookbook opens with Emancipation Proclamation Breakfast Cake, to be made in celebration of New Year's Day and the Emancipation Proclamation.
Scattered among the recipes, one finds documents like the Gettysburg Address, the Declaration of Independence, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Tributes to historical figures like
Harriet Tubman, Phillis Wheatley, and Booker T. Washington appear alongside brief bios and recipes celebrating important but less well-known persons. Baked Fish for "Dr. Dan's" Birthday, for
example, commemorates Dr. Daniel H. Williams, who in 1893 became the first surgeon to operate successfully on a human heart.
Lovingly recovered by the group that created it more than half a century ago, The Historical Cookbook of the American Negro is a cultural treasure. It continues to be a vital part of the
African American community.
Founded in 1935, the National Council of Negro Women is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the opportunities and the quality of life of African American women, their families, and
their communities through research, advocacy, and national and community-based services and programs in the United States and Africa. NCNW's national office is in Washington, DC.
