This Black History Month we are launching and sharing several videos our team and community partners have put together as resources to celebrate Black culture, history and inspire everyone to learn more about being anti-racist as we continue on our journey here at PFP to reckon with the past and present challenges at home and beyond towards a more just and equitable food system.

As educators, literature is a huge part of our work and we have been compiling an ever-growing list of books that we use to teach students about not just food and farming, but different cultures, self esteem, and important historical figures and events. In my own experience growing up mostly in New Orleans and Houston in a White family, I did not learn about any of these stories in public school and did not even learn the long, historical influence from Africa and the Caribbean of the Cajun dishes my family grew up eating, or the Zydeco music that I only later learned were rooted in African ancestral knowledge and cultures. This history was ignored or erased instead of being celebrated as something that we now share across our cultures, and that we should be teaching the truth of so that ALL students appreciate the true influences and genius behind these cherished foods and music we love.

I wanted to share a very short version with a few books for all ages pulled from my personal and the PFP collection that both celebrate Black culture and inspiring Black people while tackling these tough, honest conversations about our shared history and challenging us to do better. Read on for a few books to learn about and celebrate Black excellence, Black history and Black culinary contributions all month long, and find links to even more books that focus on everything from self-love to anti-racism education and more below!

Last but not least, don’t stop at books! We all have lots to learn from listening and meeting new people, and uplifting Black voices that are often not given the same representation. As we at PFP work towards our food justice mission and vision, we acknowledge there are many Black farmers and community members who have been doing this work for years without the same resources. I have included a list of some local-ish farms and other organizations with Black leadership that I hope you will take some time to learn about and support whether it is through a donation, or attending a workshop or other event. There are a multitude of resources available whether it is for yourself or the classroom, including a long list of other people not mentioned here including Fannie Lou Hamer, Booker T. Washington and Ira Wallace whose ideas and methods have inspired food justice and sovereignty movements.

Happy Black History Month, and we hope you’ll keep learning with us!

-Kathryn

Children’s Books

Born on the Water (The 1619 Project), by Nikole Hannah- Jones and Renee Watson and illustrated by Nikkolas Smith

This moving book by The 1619 Project, released in 2021, is a testament to the statement “We are our ancestor’s wildest dreams”. In the authors own words, “Born on the Water is to show that Black Americans have their own proud origin, one that did not begin in slavery, in struggle, and in strife, but that bridges the gap between Africa and the United States. We begin this book with the rich cultures of West Africa and then weave the tale of how after the Middle Passage, Black Americans created a new people here on this land.” Visit The 1619 Project website link to find out more about their other book, The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story for teens and adults, and resources like teaching guides for both books.

In the Garden with Dr.Carver by Susan Grigsby

While this is a fictionalized story, it teaches the true history of Dr. George Washington Carver and his inspiring and important contributions to farming and more! It is a lovely book that we have used year after year with elementary and even middle school students to start conversations about what it means to be a scientist and how Black scientists and inventors contributed to the farming methods we use and foods we all love today.

Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito

This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of Georgia Gilmore and the Club from Nowhere, a grassroots project to provide food and funds for the Montgomery Bus Boycott. A great starting point for conversations about the civil rights movement and the many lesser known women who were part of the fight for equity.

Hidden Figures (picture book) by Margot Lee Shetterly with Winifred Conkling, illustrated by Laura Freeman

As a scientist and sci-fi lover, I am excited to see this story is being taught to young people who we need to aspire to and see themselves in STEM careers. This biography of Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden tells their story of how they overcame racial and gender barriers to succeed at making one of the biggest scientific advancements in history possible. This is of course, the children’s version of the adult best seller the movie was based on - check out all 3 and celebrate Black excellence as a family!

Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table by Jacqueline Briggs Martin

Our educators love this inspiring story of Will Allen, a former basketball star, turned farmer, innovator, educator, and community builder. His vision for a huge table to feed others turned an abandoned lot into an urban farm. This book is beautifully illustrated by the brilliant Shabazz Larkin and teaches kids about civic engagement, community cooperation, resilience, and …composting with worms!

Incorporate multicultural literature all year round and find more suggestions on our Multicultural Book List!

Teen, Young Adult and Adult Books and Resources

Stamped: Racism, Anti-Racism, and Me by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds (ages 12 and up) and Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi (Adult reading level)

This book made the NY Times Bestseller list and both are great guides if you are looking to deepen or begin understanding and uprooting racism and inequity both in yourself and in our society. See our Anti-Racist Timeline video to hear what our PFP Youth Leaders learned from the book, view their Anti- Racist timeline of people who fought racism, and find links to book lists for anti-racism education!

Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land by Leah Penniman

This book by Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm (Grafton, NY) is much more than a guide to farming; it’s a brilliant compendium of farming knowledge rooted in African wisdom and honoring ancestors that influences their work in sustainable farming and food justice. Learn about topics ranging from finding and preparing land to farm, crop planning, herbal medicine and preservation recipes, land justice and much more.

Cooking with Chef Brandon Walker of Essie’s (video)

Link to video: https://youtu.be/858ldfU-cbI

Chef Brandon Walker is a celebrated local chef who has gained national attention competing on Chopped and has been featured in the book Savor: The Extraordinary Diversity of Black Chefs. He and his wife own and run Essie's in Poughkeepsie's Little Italy, offering elegant, yet casual dining and a menu that incorporates local ingredients and international flavors. Chef Walker talks about the meaning of soul food and shows us how he prepares this Sunday dinner.

Poughkeepsie Farm Project is grateful to Chef Walker, Celebrating the African Experience, and Hudson Valley Farm Hub for the delicious meals we were able to distribute to Poughkeepsie families in conjunction with the release of this video.

Jubilee : Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin

These recipes go beyond soul food - Toni-Tipton Martin is a James Beard award winning chef who compiled these 100+ recipes with a focus on the roots of African American cooking. This book is more than a recipe book- it contains historical accounts of Black cooks that influenced American cuisine over centuries.

You can also watch our Orange-Maple Sweet Potato Salad video based on her recipe in the book - recommended to us by farmer Fredando Jackson from Georgia!

The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W. Twitty

Culinary historian Michael Twitty takes a deep dive into the origins of Southern cuisine pulling from historical records and recipes in this fascinating book that explores the idea of healing through embracing the true, albeit uncomfortable history of the Southern U.S. and his journey to understand more about his ancestor’s lives. His truthtelling about James Hemings, the brilliant chef, enslaved by Thomas Jefferson, and responsible for classic “American” dishes like Mac and Cheese, is just one must read story Twitty brings to life.

High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America by Jessica B. Harris

If you heard about the Netflix show “High on the Hog”, hosted by Stephen Satterfield, you’ll be please to know it is based on a book by Jessica Harris that has more of the interesting history of food origins and the many ways African foodways, wisdom and culture influenced America.

If you haven’t watched the show yet, you’ll hear Jessica Harris, Michael Twitty and Toni Tipton Martin talk about their work- it’s well worth binge-ing!