s people from diverse ethnic groups were brought from Africa to what would become the U.S., they brought a steady stream of knowledge, more precious than the mythical seeds said to be stored in their hair during the Middle Passage.
African plants, African approaches to growing plants, and new ways of preparing food came to America in the minds of the enslaved and reshaped the American botanical, horticultural, and gustatory landscape.
In “Seeds in Their Hair: African Plant and Food Knowledge in Early America,” June 14 from 6-8 p.m., an informative new lecture offered by BBG’s Continuing Education Department, students will discover “new” traditions and rekindle cultural practices hundreds of years old — by learning how enslaved West and Central Africans used their ancient knowledge to feed, heal, and pass on spiritual customs in the New World.
The lecture will also examine parallel traditions in the Afro-Caribbean countries of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and Brazil. Lecturer Michael W. Twitty is a food historian, heirloom gardener, and community scholar focusing on the food and folk traditions of enslaved West and Central Africans and their descendants in the American South.
For more, or to register, call 718-623-7220.
