Latest news with #Hemings
Axios
03-07-2025
- General
- Axios
When Thomas Jefferson and enslaved Sally Hemings were "sealed" in a Mormon marriage ceremony
Almost 35 years ago, Sally Hemings and her enslaver Thomas Jefferson were reportedly sealed in posthumous marriage in a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is Old News, Fourth of July edition. Why it mattered: Hemings' relationship with Jefferson — the father of at least six of her children — has long been a point of historical debate. The term "power imbalance" understates the problems around consent between an enslaved person and their owner. Hemings was legally Jefferson's property and would have had no recognized right to refuse his sexual advances — even if she was his " paramour." Hemings was 16 when she first became pregnant; Jefferson was 46. What happened: In 2012, Slate reported that the church confirmed Hemings and Jefferson were posthumously "sealed" — a Mormon marriage rite that allows couples to stay connected eternally, per the faith's teachings. The ceremony occurred in 1991 in the Mesa, Arizona, temple, Slate reported. How it works: Church procedures allow Latter-day Saints to perform baptisms, sealings and other ordinances or ceremonies by proxy for people who did not participate when they were alive. Typically, these rites are performed by church members on behalf of their own ancestors, to allow families to reunite after death under the church's teachings. The intrigue:"In the spirit world, deceased persons can choose to accept or reject ordinances that have been performed for them," the church writes. That means, per church teachings, Hemings would at least be able to opt out of the connection to Jefferson in the afterlife. Context: Slate's report emerged shortly after the church threatened to suspend members' access to its massive genealogical databases if they performed proxy ordinances for Holocaust victims. A month earlier, a member had baptized Anne Frank at a temple in the Dominican Republic. For years, Holocaust survivors and descendants of victims decried the practice, while Latter-day Saint leaders tried to modify its record-creation protocols to prevent members from taking non-Mormon names into their own hands. The latest: The church did not respond to Axios' query as to whether the posthumous sealing of Hemings and Jefferson was still documented or considered valid. Previously in Old News
Buzz Feed
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
7 Food Innovations By Black Americans That *Aren't* In Most History Books (But Deserve To Be Celebrated)
Black Americans played a foundational role in shaping American cuisine. Still, their contributions have long been overlooked in mainstream food narratives and unknown to many — but that is beginning to change. Shows like Netflix's High on the Hog and cookbooks like Toni Tipton-Martin's Jubilee are two examples of how writers, chefs, and historians are working to tell the stories of African diasporic food traditions in the U.S. In that spirit, here are seven Black inventors and pioneers who transformed the way we eat and drink, whether or not you realize it: 1. Steve Henson, creator of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Ranch: America's favorite dressing for lettuce, chicken, and even pizza. It was invented in the late 1940s by Steve Henson, a plumbing contractor in Alaska who often made meals to fuel his construction crewmates during the workday. The special buttermilk, mayo, and sour cream dressing he served on salads was a favorite of the crew. Years later, that dressing recipe went on to sell in a business deal worth $60 million dollars today. Steve Henson had an entrepreneurial spirit, which led him and his wife Gayle to leave Alaska and the plumbing industry to buy a ranch in southern California. They named the ranch "Hidden Valley" and opened the ranch to guests, hosting parties where they served dinner and, once again, Steve made his crowd-pleasing creamy condiment. The dressing was so popular they began selling it to nearby restaurants, and people would buy the seasoning packets needed to make it directly from Steve and Gayle. This is how Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing was born. 2. James Hemings, "America's first chef" and creator of American macaroni and cheese James Hemings is considered by many to be "America's first chef." Born into slavery in 1765, Hemings grew up in Virginia, moving to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home and plantation, as a child. Hemings had an early aptitude for cooking, and Jefferson, francophile that he was, wanted a French chef in his Virginian home. In 1784, Jefferson took Hemings to Paris to study the culinary arts. In France, Hemings earned a wage cooking and mastered the art of haute cuisine in the kitchens of Château de Chantilly. He brought this expertise to the kitchen in Thomas Jefferson's Parisian home and ultimately back to Virginia. While in France, he was likely introduced to gratin de macaroni, a dish of pasta baked with butter and cheese. One of Thomas Jefferson's favorites, Hemings adapted the recipe and prepared it for elaborate dinners for Jefferson back in Monticello, likely replacing some of the French ingredients with those available in Virginia, such as cheddar cheese. His version of the dish, referred to as 'macaroni pie' in early American cookbooks, is the predecessor to the ooey-gooey comfort food we all know and love. James Hemings eventually won his freedom from Thomas Jefferson in 1796 and remains one of the most important chefs in American culinary history. 3. Edna Lewis, innovator of "farm-to-table" cooking and champion of Heritage Southern cuisine Before "farm-to-table" became a calling card for upscale restaurant menus (curated by mostly White male chefs), there was Edna Lewis. Lewis was born in the early 20th century and raised in Freetown, Virginia, a community village founded decades prior by formerly enslaved people, including her grandfather. Growing up, she inherited generations of culinary knowledge from the elders in her community, who cooked ingredients grown on the land she grew up on. In 1948, she brought this expertise to New York City diners as the chef at Café Nicholson, a new restaurant and trendy gathering spot for New York artists and creatives. Among the hundreds of dishes she served to guests at the cafe was her iconic pan-fried chicken: a non-greasy, special occasion dish that contradicts the McDonald's and KFC connotations of fried chicken. Lewis elevated the status of Southern American cuisine, gaining national praise and attention for it. She authored four seminal cookbooks, including the 1972 The Edna Lewis Cookbook. 4. George Speck Crum, inventor of potato chips There are conflicting legends about the origins of the most excellent bar snack, but one thing is sure: George Speck Crum, an esteemed Black chef in Saratoga Springs, was the first to serve potato chips to customers. One legend says that while working as a chef at the Moon Lake Lodge resort in New York, George Speck Crum cut razor-thin potato slices before frying them for a difficult customer complaining about their fried potatoes being too thick. The crispy result was accidentally delicious, and he began serving them at the resort as "Saratoga Chips." Another legend says that Crum's sister, Catherine, invented the potato chip. While we'll never fully know the true origin of the chip, he certainly popularized them both at the Moon Lake Lodge resort and then at his own establishment. Crum served his potato chips to each table in his restaurant and gained notoriety in American high society for his hospitality and delicious snack. 5. John Young, the "King of Wings" On a fateful day in the early 1960s in Buffalo, New York, the chef and owner of Wings 'n' Things began serving fried chicken wings tossed in a tangy mumbo sauce. Young's version of the chicken wing is sweet and well-seasoned, a slightly different version of the now-world-famous Buffalo wing, which is typically tossed in a vinegar-based hot sauce and butter. The wings were a big hit in the Buffalo community, and within years, other establishments began selling their own versions of the saucy wings. Another local business, Frank and Teressa Bellissimo's Anchor Bar, is often credited with inventing Buffalo Wings in 1964. They also claim to have invented the popular bar fare and served theirs with the now-typical hot buffalo sauce. Many people aren't aware of Young's role in the origin story of Buffalo's most famous dish. Despite this, Young maintained throughout his life that he invented Buffalo wings. Since his passing, his family has continued to tell his story and share his food with others. Young's business recognized and highlighted the chicken wing, a part of the bird that had long been considered less desirable. His family, community, and customers continue to call him the "King of Wings." 6. The Black Panther Party, innovators of community school breakfast programs While technically the Black Panther Party is not an individual, its contribution to our food system in the US is so significant that it deserves a spot on this list. Let it be known to all Americans that if you, your child, or even your friend has ever had breakfast provided to you by your public school, you have the Black Panther Party to thank. Having recognized the connection between food insecurity and systemic inequality, the party started the first Free Breakfast for School Children Program in 1969. Over the next decade, the party would serve tens of thousands of children a full breakfast. The effects were immediate, with educators even remarking on the noticeable change in their student's attention and behavior. The program was so effective that it pressured the U.S. government to expand its own school breakfast initiatives, eventually leading to the widespread federal School Breakfast Program we know today. 7. Augustus Jackson, the "father of ice cream" and inventor of commercial ice cream-making techniques Augustus Jackson changed how Americans eat and make ice cream. His innovations made the frozen dessert an accessible treat for all, not just the wealthy elite. In the early 1830s, Jackson began his culinary career as a child, working as a cook in the White House, and over two decades was the chef to three U.S. Presidents before leaving Washington D.C. and moving to Philadelphia to become an entrepreneur. In Philadelphia, Jackson opened a catering and confection business where he developed new techniques for making ice cream smoother and easier to transport. He developed an eggless ice cream custard base and used a combination of rock salt and ice to make the ice cream even colder — an innovation that laid the foundation for commercial ice cream production. He began selling various flavors of the frozen dessert in tin containers to Philadelphia ice cream parlors wholesale. And while his innovations made Jackson one of the richest men in Philadelphia at the time, his innovations actually lowered the cost of ice cream for customers. He never patented his methods but shared the technique with other Black-owned businesses in Philadelphia. Next time you're enjoying a Buffalo chicken wing or dipping a carrot in some Hidden Valley Ranch, take a moment to appreciate the innovators behind those flavors — and share their histories (and maybe this post) with the people you're eating with. Hungry for more? Download the free Tasty app for iOS and Android, where you can cook (and save) 7,500+ recipes. BuzzFeed
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
One of the most important chefs in American history was a founding father's slave
(NEXSTAR) – Plenty of America's most persistent culinary traditions can be traced back to the Black chefs and kitchen staffs — many of whom were enslaved — who cooked for more privileged white diners during our nation's infancy and beyond. Among them, there was Hercules Posey, an enslaved man who worked as George Washington's personal chef at Mount Vernon, and later prepared lavish meals for Washington and his guests at the president's residence in Philadelphia. And then there was Abby Fisher, who was born into slavery and later worked as a cook in Alabama and California before becoming an entrepreneur, a cookbook author and an authority on Southern cuisine. 'It's not easy uncovering the histories of enslaved cooks, who left few records of their own and whose stories often appear in the historical record as asides,' Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz, a visiting scholar with the African American studies department at U.C. Berkeley, once wrote in a 2018 essay for Zocalo Public Square. But any existing historical records, Deetz argued, 'make it clear that enslaved cooks were central players in the birth of our nation's cultural heritage.' MLK Day at King's Atlanta congregation features daughter's warning about anti-woke rhetoric One of most prominent figures in this category — in terms of acknowledgement, skill and influence — was James Hemings, the enslaved personal chef of Thomas Jefferson. Hemings was also Jefferson's brother-in-law by marriage, his parents being Jefferson's father-in-law John Wayles and Wayles' slave Betty Hemings. Jefferson inherited James Hemings from Wayles when the boy was just 8. He later took the 19-year-old Hemings with him on a diplomatic trip to Paris in 1784. There, Jefferson had him trained as a chef — thus making Hemings the first American chef to receive formal training in France, according to multiple accounts. After his training, Hemings was named head chef at the hotel and residence where Jefferson lived in France, cooking for 'international guests, statesmen, authors, scientists, and European aristocrats,' according to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. He also earned a wage, though a significantly smaller wage (half) than what Jefferson had paid a previous white chef. With his wages, Hemings hired himself a French tutor to enrich his education, during which time it's believed he became aware of a local law that would have allowed him to ask the French courts to grant him freedom. But if Hemings was aware of that law, he didn't act upon this knowledge, and instead returned to the U.S. with Jefferson in 1789. 'Hemings chose to return with Jefferson based, at least in part, on Jefferson's pledge to free him if he worked as Jefferson's chef at home for a period of time,' Lisa Mann, a historian with the White House Historical Association, once wrote. Back in America, Hemings cooked for Jefferson and his guests at his residences in New York, Philadelphia and in Jefferson's Virginia home at Monticello. It was in these slave kitchens that Hemings is said to have innovated and popularized (though not necessarily invented) French-inspired dishes including macaroni and cheese, hard ice creams, meringue desserts and even French fries, according to Ashbell McElveen, the founder of the James Hemings Society. 'And because of his skills at the stove, Jefferson used [Hemings'] skills as a political weapon,' McElveen explained in a 2021 interview with The National Arts Club. 'Whenever he needed some opinions to be swayed his way, he would actually invite people to dinner for James' incredible skills.' In 1793, Jefferson, seemingly reluctantly, finally made a deal to grant Hemings his freedom under the condition that Hemings train another enslaved chef — which ended up being his brother Peter — to replace him. 'Having been at great expence [sic] in having James Hemings taught the art of cookery, desiring to befriend him, and to require from him as little in return as possible, I do hereby promise and declare, that if the said James shall go with me to Monticello in the course of the ensuing winter, when I go to reside there myself, and shall there continue until he shall have taught such person as I shall place under him for that purpose to be a good cook, this previous condition being performed, he shall be thereupon made free, and I will thereupon execute all proper instruments to make him free,' Jefferson wrote as a promise to Hemings. Jefferson ultimately granted Hemings his freedom in 1796, only after his replacement was sufficiently trained. Over the following years, Hemings traveled abroad in Europe, and at least once returned to work for Jefferson. (Jefferson, after being elected president, also requested Heming come work in the White House kitchen, though Heming declined.) Heming later settled into a job in Baltimore, according to the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, where he died in 1801. His cause of death, while somewhat disputed, was thought to be suicide. 'It's a dramatic story, and you're left to ponder: What drove him to that? What was it about his life that made it so despairing that he killed himself?' Harvard professor and historian Annette Gordon Reed said in an interview published at 'You get a sense of the tragedy of slavery, and the tragedy of white supremacy, because there was no place for him, even though he was highly trained.' Nancy Leftenant-Colon, the first Black woman in Army Nurse Corps, passes away Hemings' contributions to American cuisine, and especially fine dining, were carried on by fellow chefs who ultimately brought his ideas to other parts of the country, McElveen said in his interview with The National Arts Club. McElveen also believes that many of Hemings' recipes made their way into 'The Virginia House-wife,' an 1824 cookbook and manual credited to Mary Randolph, a family friend of the Jeffersons who was raised by Thomas Jefferson's own parents. The publication of Hemings' uncredited recipes in Randolph's book (as well as other recipes that may have come from enslaved cooks) amounts to 'the greatest theft in publishing history,' McElveen alleged. Even despite this, Hemings is often spoken of today as an extraordinarily talented chef, an innovator, and, some say, one of the first 'celebrity chefs' in American cuisine. Michael W. Twitty, a culinary historian and the winner of the 2018 James Beard Foundation Book Award, would go as far to say that Hemings could be considered the 'granddaddy' of every Southern chef, as he argued in the 2022 documentary 'James Heming: Ghost in America's Kitchen.' 'Nobody had more refined training. Nobody had his palate. Nobody had his experience,' Twitty said. 'And nobody had his blues.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
