“most importantly, Twitty reminds us that you don’t have to be Black or Jewish to love koshersoul.”
Both a cookbook and a memoir, Koshersoul(Amistad) explores the food traditions of both Black and Jewish cultures and how for Black Jewish people, the two combine, becoming a distinctive foodway of its own.
“When I first started talking about developing this book, a fellow African American food writer asked what it was about, saying ‘So you’re not writing about Black [food]; you’re writing about Jewish [food)],” writes Michael W. Twitty, a culinary historian, living history interpreter, and Judiacs teacher in the introduction to his book. “My response was reflective: no this is a book about a part of Black food that’s also Jewish food; This is a book about Jewish food that’s also Black food because it’s a book about Black people who are Jewish and Jewish people who are Black.”
Twitty, creator of Afroculinaria, the first blog devoted to African American history, foodways, and their legacy, won both the 2018 James Beard Foundation Book of the Year Award and Best Writing Award for The Cooking Gene. His writing is thoughtful, deep, and involved, taking a deep dive into his personal history and combining it with his conversations with other Black Jews. He seeks to put this in a historical and cultural perspective, showing us how food and identity converge.
“Black and Jews in their Venn diagram have seen considerable turmoil and pain,” he writes “and this too is a fundamental ingredient.”
But no matter what is going on in the world or what has happened in the past, we all have an urge and need to eat, writes Twitty, plus an enjoyment of what we consume. This is reflected not only in his writing but also in the recipes he shares at the back of the book.
Twitty describes this section as a koshersoul community cookbook of sorts. He encourages readers when in the kitchen to feel free to adapt them to meet their own dietary practices and preferences.
The recipes presented here are categorized under holidays and religious observations: Juneteenth, Pesach/Passover, Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur-Sukkot, and Shabbat, among others.
The names of some of the recipes represent the different lands and regions where people came from such as Ghanian Pepper Sauce, Senegalese-Inspired Chicken Soup, Jamaican Jerk Chicken Spaghetti, West Africa Wet Seasoning, and Gullah-Geechee-Inspired Stew.
Others like Yam Latkes, Kosher Spring Rolls, Collard Green Kreplach Filling, Black Eyed-Peas with Tomatoes, Sephardic Style, and Matzoh Meal Fried Chicken define the merging of two different cultures that meld into a distinct foodway.
But most importantly, Twitty reminds us that you don’t have to be Black or Jewish to love koshersoul.
Black-Eyed Pea Hummus
Serves 4 to 6
Black-eyed peas are a strong link between the two Diaspora cuisines, probably meeting in the Nile River Valley and the Fertile Crescent. Originally from ancient West Africa, black-eyed peas are a significant part of the cuisine of the Levant to this day, moving with African people throughout the region. Hummus, emblematic and beloved by many cultures in the Levant—is a dish that relies on the staple legume of the Arab farmer and ancient biblical standby, the chickpea. Here the black-eyed pea, loaded with mystical symbolism and its own honored place in West and Central Africa, replaces the chickpea. — Michael Twitty
1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1⁄3 cup tahini
1⁄2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon ground coriander
1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon brown or turbinado sugar
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons minced parsley, for garnish
Throw everything but the parsley into a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and add more spice, hot sauce, or whatever you think it needs. To serve, sprinkle parsley and drizzle olive oil on the top.
Savor the South Shore Restaurant Weeks offers residents and visitors 3-course meals or other special offers at discounted prices. The 14-day culinary promotion began February 26 and will end March 10. More than 30 local restaurants in seventeen different communities will be participating.
Restaurants include:
Aftermath Cidery & Winery, Valparaiso Asparagus Restaurant, Merrillville Bedarra Bar, Crown Point The Brewery Lodge & Supper Club, Michigan City Byway Brewing, Hammond Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, Gary DOC’s Smokehouse and Craft Bar, Dyer Four Corners Winery, Valparaiso Freddy’s Steakhouse, Hammond Fuzzyline Brewery, Highland Gamba Ristorante, Merrillville Goblin and the Grocer, Beverly Shores Grindhouse Café, Griffith Jack Binion’s Steak, Hammond Jax’s Crown Town Grill, Crown Point Lighthouse Restaurant, Cedar Lake Midwest Eats, East Chicago Miller Pizza Company, Gary Northwoods Falls, St. John Off Square Brewing, Crown Point Parlor Doughnuts, Munster & Valparaiso River Rock Restaurant at White Hawk Country Club, Crown Point Rosebud Steakhouse, Munster Running Vines Winery, Chesterton T-Bones Pier 11, La Porte Teibel’s Restaurant, Schererville Tiny’s Coffee Bar, Gary Union Hall – Journeyman Distillery, Valparaiso William B’s Steakhouse at Blue Chip Casino Hotel Spa, Michigan City Zorn Brew Works Co., Michigan City
Specially priced menus are listed online at http://www.savorthesouthshore.com. Customers do not need a coupon or discount code, they only need to ask to order from the Savor menu. Savor Restaurant Weeks and participating restaurants will also be promoted through Facebook at www.facebook.com/SavorSouthShore and through a VIP Text List by texting “Savor” to 219- 799-7770 (standard text rates apply).
An all-new promotion this year, the South Shore Passport App will be available to download beginning on February 26! This app will replace the current South Shore Brewery Trail App and in addition to breweries will also include other passports including one for Restaurant Weeks. It will be available in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
App users will be able to check-in to as many participating Savor restaurants as they can between February 26 – March 10. Each check-in earns an entry towards an exclusive gift card package valued at $250! One winner will be chosen at random the week of March 11. The more you dine out during “Savor the South Shore” …the greater the chance of winning!
Savor the South Shore was created by the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority to promote area restaurants, attract new customers and highlight specialty menu items and pairings. Learn more at www.savorthesouthshore.com.
Local First Arizona is proud to announce the winners of the 15th annual Devour Culinary Classic.
The event showcasing Arizona’s top chefs was hosted Feb. 24-25 at Desert Botanical Garden in partnership with the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance.
A panel of top food critics and journalists from around the country tasted dishes served by over 50 participating restaurants and purveyors, scoring on taste, presentation, degree of difficulty and creativity.
Dishes that qualified for awards were then designated Best in Show, Double Gold Medal, Gold Medal, Silver Medal, Bronze Medal and Heritage Food Medal.
The second year of the Heritage Food Medal honors the best dish with ingredients that are indigenous, heirloom, low-water, desert-adapted or locally sourced (within a 100-mile radius of the restaurant) and thus more sustainable for Arizona. Climate-smart foods are essential for farmers, chefs and diners to support and expand for the future of our state.
In addition, Devour volunteers helped attendees divert a record 3 tons of waste from the landfill to recycling or composting, a 70% diversion rate.
Devour Culinary Classic 2024 Award Winners:
Best in Show
Gastronomic Union of Tucson (GUT chefs)
Juan Almanza, Kelzi Bartholomaei, Mat Cable, Michael Elefante, Obadiah “Obie” Hindman, Sarah Lamberth, Roderick Ledesmo and Devon Sanner
Judges called these dishes “mouthwatering,” “killer” and “luscious”
South Carolina-based writer, culinary instructor and ICS World Chili Cookoff judge
Stephanie Burnette is a food and travel writer in the Carolinas and covers the southeast. She writes for Eater, Thrillist, Town, atHome, SC Department of Agriculture, as well as for multiple visitors guides each year. Her background includes culinary instruction at The John C. Campbell Folk School and 400+ recipes for Gannett. She is the author of the upcoming 100 Things to Do in Greenville Before You Die, by Reedy Press. She’s judged the ICS World Chili Cookoff and the Great American Burger Contest but says her two teenagers are the best critics she knows.
Freelance food and beverage writer, restaurant critic, and editor. She most recently worked as the food editor of Portland Monthly magazine, where she reviewed restaurants, reported on restaurant openings and closings, and highlighted up-and-coming pop-ups and food carts. Previously, she was the food critic at the East Bay Express in Oakland. Favorite bites and sips include handmade noodles, tacos, Dungeness crab, and Willamette Valley wine.
New York City–based chef, writer and three-time James Beard Foundation Award finalist.
Much of her pastry work explores the relationship between baking and social justice, including ongoing collaborations with seminal New York City institutions like Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, God’s Love We Deliver, the Brigid Alliance, and Planned Parenthood of Greater New York, for whom she produced a massive city-wide bake sale, raising more than $150,000 between 2017 and 2019.
Currently, Pickowicz runs the pastry pop-up called Never Ending Taste, which has been held at NYC’s Superiority Burger, Brooklyn’s the Four Horsemen, the American-Vietnamese bakery Ba. n B., the Taiwanese tearoom T. Company, Los Angeles’s Kismet, and the legendary Chino Farm in Rancho Santa Fe, California.
Pickowicz’s recipes and writing have been published in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Bon Appetit, Saveur, Food & Wine, New York magazine, Cherry Bombe, and many other publications. Follow her on Instagram at @natashapickowicz.
José R. Ralat is Texas Monthly’s taco editor, for which he writes about Mexican food and food culture. He is also the author of “American Tacos: A History & Guide.” Ralat has written for Eater, Imbibe, D Magazine, Vice, Gravy, and other national and regional online and print media outlets. He is a two-time James Beard Foundation media award winner. Ice cream might just be his one true love.
Howard Seftel
Howard Seftel was a Valley restaurant critic from 1992 to 2015, the first eight years at Phoenix New Times, then 15 years at the Arizona Republic. During that time, he dined out — anonymously — more than 5000 times, and served as a James Beard Award judge.
A native New Yorker, he worked abroad for five years, in West Africa and the Middle East, and later taught American history at the University of California, Berkeley and Antioch University.
These days, when he is not eating out, he’s likely to be at a baseball game, playing the piano, reading history or hitting the road to visit far-away children and grandchildren.
Thank you to sponsors TCI Wealth Management, Maverick Beverage Company, Lyft, City of Tempe, Integro Bank and Wyndham Hotel for their support.
About Local First Arizona
Founded in 2003, Local First Arizona is a community and economic development organization working to strengthen local economies. Local First’s areas of focus include developing entrepreneurship, rural and urban community development, racial equity, environmental action and food access. Local First is the largest local business coalition in the U.S. and advocates for independently owned businesses of all sizes by assisting local owners to compete and collaborate to strengthen Arizona’s economy and build state pride. Visit localfirstaz.com for more information and a directory of more than 3,000 Arizona-owned businesses.
About Desert Botanical Garden
Discover the tranquil vibrancy of 50,000 desert plants nestled amid the red rocks of the Papago Buttes at Desert Botanical Garden. An Arizona icon for 85 years in the Valley, the Garden is a compelling attraction and desert conservation pioneer, offering worldly plants, vibrant trails, world-class exhibitions, festive events, fascinating classes and so much more. Visit dbg.org for more information.
About Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance
The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation, preservation, and advancement of the Arts. SAACA strengthens the bonds between people, place, and purpose through collaborative, arts-driven experiences. SAACA (formerly the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council) was created to develop cultivated programming that spotlights local creatives and celebrates unique culture, while providing direct opportunities for artists to make and sell their work. To date, SAACA has created over 500,000 arts-driven experiences, from innovative community festivals and cultural celebrations to creative sector development, and accessible arts enrichment programs. Visit saaca.org for more.
Choose Chicago is delighted to announce that Chicago has been selected to host the Democratic National Convention in August 2024. Following last year’s historic seventh consecutive win as Conde Nast Traveler’s “Best Big City,” we know the below tally of exciting new hotels, inventive restaurants, dynamic exhibitions, and eclectic festivals offers just a taste of what’s in store this winter/spring of 2024.
Come and discover big city culture, Midwestern hospitality, and urban adventure; visit ChooseChicago.com for more information.
Recent Accolades:
Chicago and its businesses were honored in multiple categories of USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards:
Two Chicago hotels ranked in the Top 10 of The Best Hotels in the World: 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards by Condé Nast Traveler.The Peninsula Chicago earned the No. 9 spot.
Chicago restaurant Smyth was awarded its third MICHELIN Star.
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport was named Best Airport in North America by Global Traveler for the 20th consecutive year. The award is voted on by readers in the publication’s GT Tested Reader Survey, which counts more than 20,000 write-in votes.
To read more about Chicago in the news, click here.
This article could actually fill an entire book, although a book will not fit into the pages of this newspaper. So readers (and this writer) must settle for a more manageable rendering of what took place last week. It’s a slice of Spencer County history that must be preserved.
__________
A few more than 200 years ago — just as Indiana was gaining statehood in 1816 — a family of four packed their belongings and moved from Kentucky to a small settlement in the new 19th state known as Little Pigeon Creek.
The husband and father was a talented furniture maker with a magnificent set of tools to ply his trade. He was also artistic and particular in his craft.
Sadly, history has not remembered him fondly, which likely can be laid down to a marketing ploy designed to get his son elected president, making the claim the father was a shiftless, illiterate ne’er-do-well and the son was entirely a self made man who came from nothing.
The son, as readers will already have guessed, was Abraham Lincoln and the father was Thomas Lincoln.
Flash forward a couple hundred years.
Steve Haaff, of Patronville, became fascinated with Federal style furniture many years ago. The former educator decided to educate himself on the furniture Thomas Lincoln crafted by hand. He educated himself to the point of replicating Thomas Lincoln’s tools and recreating certain pieces of furniture. He made patterns from the designs and became so knowledgeable that Haaff — a Spencer County native — is considered the world’s foremost authority on Thomas Lincoln furniture. He has been contacted by people the world over, including those fine folks at Antiques Roadshow, to authenticate (or debunk) a claim of a Thomas Lincoln-made item.
A couple years ago he received a call from a family in Kansas who had a dresser that family legend claimed was made by Thomas Lincoln.
Without going into the details of Haaff’s investigation (lacking an entire book to write), he was able to confirm the four drawer dresser or bureau had been crafted by Mr. Lincoln. In fact, it was a piece Haaff had been looking for over many years. Noted southern Indiana author and Lincoln historian Bess Ehrmann had written about it after a visit to the home of Squire William Wood over 100 years ago, although she claimed it was crafted from mahogany, which was incorrect.
However, Haaff was not surprised at the misidentification. While the dresser is actually walnut and poplar (the latter for pieces that would not be seen) with an 1/8th inch thick cherry veneer gracing the arched front — time, linseed oil and smoke from the fireplace would have darkened the finish over time, rendering the finish with a mahogany-hued patina.
Thomas had built this dresser for Wm. Wood, whose family came to Spencer County before there was such a thing, and even before there was a state of Indiana in 1809.
Wood was a close neighbor of the Lincolns and later told William Herndon, Abraham Lincoln’s law partner in Springfield who interviewed many neighbors after Abraham was assassinated, that in fact Thomas Lincoln, “built my house, he built my furniture and the run up the stairs in my house.”
Thomas and Squire Woods were good friends and according to Steve, the latter even spent a night with Nancy Hanks Lincoln as she lay dying from the Milk Sickness.
One thing Steve Haaff wants the world to know, beyond the fact that Thomas Lincoln was a talented and meticulous craftsman, is that the people of this new state were not all backwoods hillbillies, but folks who appreciated and desired the finer things, including beautiful cabinets and other fine furniture.
One thing this writer wanted to know was how the bureau ended up in Kansas. The question was answered and will be revealed, just not quite yet.
Following many conversations, the current owner wanted the bureau displayed and while she thought the Lincoln Museum in Springfield should be the recipient, Steve convinced her the Indiana State Museum would provide a better showcase, since Thomas crafted the piece in Indiana for a Hoosier family.
But first, Steve had another task to complete. The current owner, 91 year-old Mildred “Millie” Moore’s father had replaced the federal style brass pulls with crystal knobs. Steve knew exactly what type of drawer pulls would have been used and the museum staff wanted them restored, but wanted the most knowledgeable person in this generation to handle the job.
Last Wednesday, January 24, Steve drove to Indianapolis and set to work. While he was making the transition he pointed out significant details and explained how Thomas would have crafted the bowed front, affixing the cherry to the walnut and carving the arch. He pointed to two stars etched into the legs, saying stars were a particular signature on Thomas Lincoln works, noted original nails and a plethora of other details the average person would not necessarily notice.
At some point the linseed oil had been removed with a tongue oil finish. There was some damage, which he attributed to mice, including a partially missing decorative apron along the bottom. The conservators at the museum listened raptly to every word, soaking up knowledge as Haaff imparted it.
Haaff said every cabinetmaker had his own idiosyncrasies, which helps him with identification. He believed Thomas learned from Jesse Heade, a noted cabinetmaker in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, who was know to use apprentices and who, in fact, had performed the wedding ceremony uniting Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks.
While history has left the impression that Abraham Lincoln came from poverty, that truly wasn’t the case. His grandfather, also Abraham Lincoln, owned 5,000 acres and was well-to-do, but was massacred by Native Americans when Thomas was just a child. The rule of the day, known as primogeniture, meant his older brother, Mordecai, inherited everything so it’s likely why Thomas became an apprentice.
“His work was an extension of himself,” Haaff asserted, “a labor of love.”
He crafted in the Federal style and that never changed, although in the 1830s Duncan Phyfe came into vogue.
As to the original shiny polished brass drawer pulls, Thomas would have purchased those and they were most likely imported.
Other than the time it took to cut down the trees and season the wood, the actual building of the cabinet would take about 40 days and if Squire Wood paid in cash, Thomas likely earned $40, although he could have been paid in goods as the barter system thrived during that period. Elizabeth Crawford once traded a quilt for a Thomas Lincoln corner cabinet.
Haaff reported it was said about his creations that “Thomas Lincoln was as good a cabinet maker as any of them and better than most.”
Also that he had the best set of tools around, composed of hundreds of pieces, some he made himself so he was also for all intents and purposes a blacksmith as well as a furniture maker.
After several hours of work the dresser was ready for display. A ceremony was planned for the following day during which (hopefully) answers to all questions would be revealed.
___________
Day Two
In addition to corner cabinets, chests of drawers, tables and other furniture, Thomas Lincoln built his own house and others, as well as Little Pigeon Church.
This, Steve Haaff told the assembly on the second floor of the Indiana State Museum who had gathered for the unveiling.
Haaff explained his process for identification and documentation and said the Federal style of furniture was popular from around 1780 to 1820 (give or take, depending where one lived).
Listening in fascination was the bureau’s owner, Mildred Moore, of Kansas City, Kansas, along with her daughter, Julie McIntire, also from Kansas City, Millie’s niece, Shirley (Fouse) and her husband, Dan Bishop of Topeka Kansas, another niece, Karen Yudnich of Denver, Colorado, Debora Wood, widow of Tim Wood from Louisville, Kentucky, and Mike, Bud and Ken Schaaf from Spencer County.
Millie said the dresser had always been in her home. As a child she placed her rag dolls in the drawers. Her father changed the knobs because her mother had very tiny, arthritic hands and the crystal knobs made it easier to manipulate the pulls.
She, being the youngest of three sisters, didn’t get to pick first when her parents passed away. Oldest sister Esther (Shirley’s mom) got first choice — a necklace watch. Middle sister Dorothy (Karen’s mom) chose some oak furniture. Millie felt like she ended up with the dresser by default.
But how did it end get to Kansas?
For that matter how did Squire Wood and his family (he and his wife had five children) end up in Spencer County?
This is what his descendants shared.
While not a Catholic, Squire moved to Bardstown, Kentucky with the influx of Catholics, then relocated to Daviess County, Kentucky. As with others, including Thomas Lincoln, he had trouble getting a clear title to his land, which was why he moved on in 1809 to what would become Indiana in 1816 and Spencer County in 1818.
One son, Robert, eventually moved to Terre Haute.
Robert’s son, Newton, decided to seek even greener pastures and he homesteaded in Kansas.
Newton paid a visit to Spencer County and was given a list of four local girls. He was told he needed a wife and had to pick one. He picked Mary Schaaf (hence the Schaaf connection).
They were wed April 26, 1894 and would take the train to Larned, Kansas, where they would debark and walk to Truesdale and the farm Newton had homesteaded.
Robert, Newton’s father, gifted the newlyweds with the dresser. He had likely been a playmate of Abraham and Sarah Lincoln in his youth.
Newton and Mary had four children before she passed away from Typhoid Fever on September 9, 1901 — their oldest child age six and the youngest a baby.
Newton never remarried and his maiden Aunt Jenny would move from Terre Haute to Kansas every summer, taking along a bunch of hard boiled eggs to eat along the way.
The other maiden aunt was Dr. Anna Wood, a physician practicing holistic medicine in Terre Haute.
Debora’s husband, Tim came through another branch of the family.
Lunch following the ceremonial unveiling of the bureau, or dresser, was rife with tales of Wood, Schaaf and other families that shall be saved for another day (or maybe that book that likely will never be written). But space is getting a bit tight, so it’s definitely time to reach a conclusion.
And a conclusion for readers? If you haven’t been to the Indiana State Museum lately, or even if you have, it’s a good time to slot it on your bucket list. The treasures found within are innumerable! A corner cabinet also built by Thomas Lincoln stands to the right of the dresser and a more utilitarian, open shelf cabinet, also his creation to the left. Steve explained Thomas built every piece to order and the intricacy and detail was largely dependent on what the customer was willing to pay (or barter).
Of course there are many other jewels in the State Museum’s collection with revolving exhibits that are sure to please every taste.
The museum is located at White River State Park at 650 West Washington Street in Indianapolis, in a complex that includes the NCAA Hall of Champions, Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, White River Gardens, Indianapolis Zoo and more.
Photos by Kathy Tretter.
Group photo 1: Cousins, some who may not have met before, gathered for a snapshot at the Indiana State Museum. Pictured from left: Mike Schaaf, Shirley Fouse, Julie McIntire, Mildred Moore, Bud Schaaf, Ken Schaaf and Karen Yudnich, with Steve Haaff, who was responsible for authenticating the dresser as a Thomas Lincoln-crafted piece and for amking repairs to restore it to its former glory.
Group photo 2: Julie McIntire and her mother, Mildred Moore, discuss the family’s Lincoln connection with Haaff and Indiana State Museum Chief Curator and Research Officer Susannah K. Koerber.
Step into the heart of bourbon country and experience the epitome of refinement at the 2024 Kentucky Bourbon Classic.
This premier event, taking place in Louisville from February 21-24, is a celebration of the rich heritage, craftsmanship, and unparalleled flavors that define Kentucky’s iconic spirit. Indulge in exceptional tastings, participate in enlightening workshops, and savor sips that showcase bourbon craftsmanship.
The four-day event features events such the Cocktail & Culinary Challenge, Bourbon University and TASTE providing exclusive opportunities to the finest bourbons, culinary delights, and immersive educational experiences.
Celebrate this historic milestone and enjoy these several unique and bourbon-filled offerings as you venture along the trail.
Sampling includes:
Day as a Distiller: Hartfield & Co.Paris, KY: Have you ever thought about working at a distillery? Now’s your opportunity to dive into the craft distilling world! Spend a day working with Harfield & Co. and learn the skills and secrets behind the bourbon industry.
Whether mashing, distilling, bottling, tasting, or whatever else is happening that day, Hartfield & Co invites guests to experience the bourbon industry up close and personal.
· Cocktail Classes:Angel’s Envy, Louisville, KY: Master the art of crafting classic cocktails with skilled specialists at Angel’s Envy Distillery in Louisville, KY. Unleash your mixology potential by joining the Behind the Bar Class, led by talented cocktail experts. Whether attending the monthly class or the specialized Manhattan and Rye Cocktail Classes, there’s no better place to learn the secrets behind the bar.
What’s New in the Bourbon Industry
With such a rich foundation of tradition, the Kentucky Bourbon industry is paving the way forward with new and innovative experiences for 2024. The upcoming year will usher in exciting new offerings for the industry, including the expansion into Eastern Kentucky with Eastern Light Distilling set to break in early 2024.
Though Mobile is a great place to visit any time of the year, this coastal Alabama city has rung in the new year with an impressive dedication to cultural heritage, making it a must-visit for Black History Month. Conde Nast Traveler took note and included Mobile on its “Best Places to Go in 2024” list, in part for the city’s strides in cultural development and dedication to celebrating its African American history.
Last July, the inspirational story of the 110 survivors of the last slave ship to enter the United States, the Clotilda, and the town they created just outside of Mobile in the late 1800s was shared with the world through the opening of “Clotilda: The Exhibition”at Africatown Heritage House. This was a pivotal moment in the city’s commitment to embracing its African American heritage. As of this month, Africatown Heritage House is offering group admission to schools, churches and other groups, helping to increase the number of people who can visit in person and learn more about this fascinating story.
Though the opening of Africatown Heritage House was certainly a big part of Mobile’s story of cultural development, there’s plenty more to experience in the city during Black History Month and beyond. Here’s a sampling of both what is new and what’s to come later in the year, for those planning ahead:
This past October, the new Historic Avenue Cultural Center debuted its first exhibit, entitled “Remembering the Avenue,” which tells the story of Mobile through the eyes of Black residents, both past and present. The exhibit will run through the end of this year. The center itself is of tremendous historical significance, as it was the city’s Black library before it became the National African American Archives & Museum and eventually the cultural center.
Mobile is also developing a Civil Rights and Cultural Heritage District, which will be located along the Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue Corridor. This area was an economic hub for the Black community during the era of segregation. Churches, schools, and other sites throughout the district will become permanent landmarks and the city is in the process of building a memorial park that will be a gateway to the district.
The Isom Clemon Civil Rights Memorial Park is set to open in early spring. The park is located on a site where leaders of the city’s Civil Rights Movement met, and a series of statues by local artists will commemorate their efforts and detail the movement in the city.
To round out a journey and to get full insight into Mobile’s Black history and the countless contributions of Black Mobilians throughout the years, take a tour of stops along the Dora Franklin Finley African American Heritage Trail(DFFAAHT). There are trail markers all over the city for a self-guided tour, but a two-hour guided bus tour offers a very personal and comprehensive way to experience the sites.
No trip to Mobile is complete without sampling the city’s unique food scene, especially since 2024 has been officially declared the Year of Food by the State of Alabama. Ginger & Spice and Kanary Bar are just a few of the Black-owned restaurants to try during a visit.
From historical sites to special exhibits to exciting new developments on the horizon, this city offers a unique opportunity to learn about and celebrate the contributions of Black Americans. To experience a destination that truly embraces its African American history and start planning a visit to Mobile, head to https://www.mobile.org/.
Experience Valentine’s Day in the Countryside at Mayflower Inn & Spa’s idyllic escape. While enjoying the property’s stunning accommodations, indulging in the Michelin-starred Chef José’s refined fare, and relishing in the stunning wintertime landscape, guests can fully embrace all things romance through Mayflower Inn’s Valentine’s Day programming and experiences.
Surprise loved ones with a handpicked winter flower bouquet arranged by Sarah Worden Natural, bursting with vibrant tulips, garden roses, and tuberoses, to be delivered at whatever time requested. The pampering continues at The Garden Room or Tap Room, where a three-course prix fixe menu and live music will hearten guests. Finally, musician Kristina Koller will perform a jazz-centric set to end a night full of romance.
Enjoy a cozy romantic escape at Boston’s premier luxury hotel. Book “The Sweethearts Stay” at Hotel Commonwealth and receive a sweet treat for your sweetheart: enjoy a box of local, artisanal chocolates accompanied by a bottle of bubbly, plus breakfast and a late check-out so you can sleep in and enjoy breakfast in bed together.
Leave all your worries behind and allow Hotel Commonwealth to help you celebrate the month of love in comfort and luxury. For a night out on the town, live music and nightlife are just steps away, and fantastic dining options include the brand-new Blue Ribbon Brasserie at the doorstep of Hotel Commonwealth.
A beloved local landmark for over 150 years, White Barn Inn is the perfect romantic retreat complete with warm New England hospitality, rustic charm, and uncompromising attention to detail. Escape to the coast this Valentine’s Day and celebrate the romance of Kennebunk through a selection of culinary, wellness and outdoor adventure curated for guests and their significant others.
Indulge in a specially curated Remedy Co. cocktail event, unwind with a sumptuous spa treatment for two, learn a new skill through our exceptional on and off-property experiences and of course, enjoy a romantic pre-fixe Valentine’s Day dinner at the legendary White Barn Inn Restaurant or its more casual counterpart, Little Barn.
Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Newports former mansion-turned-storied stunning 33-room luxury resort for an unforgettable romantic escape. The coastal city’s social hub will offer a three-course pre-fix menu curated by Executive Chef Tim Caspare alongside live music in The Dining Room, the property’s handsome navy blue-cloaked restaurant complete with a welcoming fireplace, creating the perfect cozy atmosphere for a romantic meal.
Additionally, guests can take part in a special Blindfolded Oyster Tasting experience led by Chef Caspare, offering oysters from around the country alongside perfectly paired beverages. On Valentine’s Day, The Vanderbilt, in Newport, Rhode Island, will offer a playful twist on its beloved Tableside Martini experience, where guests can enjoy custom tableside martinis highlighting ingredients that are known aphrodisiacs like ginseng and more. Finally, couples can enjoy a candlelit Tarot Card reading in the reimagined Parlour from the in-house Tarot Master, providing insight into the new year with inspiring relevancy. Following the reading, guests are invited to the bar to enjoy a special off-menu cocktail based on the theme of your reading, be it about love, work or money. Celebrate your love at this vibrant, historic gem, waiting to be explored.
For five days each January, the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary brings the world of cinema to northeast Michigan with some of the most impressive ocean and Great Lakes films from around the world. Film screenings are complemented by social events, educational activities, and opportunities to meet filmmakers.
The Thunder Bay Film Festival is the only water-focused cinematic event in the state of Michigan—which is surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes and boasts nearly 3,200 miles of freshwater coastline (the longest in the country). The Great Lakes cover more than 94,000-square-miles and holds an estimated six quadrillion gallons of water—about one-fifth of the world’s freshwater surface water supply and nine-tenths of the U.S. supply. The protection of water, native aquatic species and a healthy environment are of particular interest to Michiganders and the documentaries lined up for this year’s festival are sure to educate and entertain.
WHEN: Wednesday,January 24 through Sunday, January 28, 2024
DETAILS:
68 Films
3 Venues
3 cities in 3 counties in northeast Michigan
HIGHLIGHTS:
Michigan premier of RELENTLESS (Running time: 92 minutes. Writer/Director/Producer: Thomas Lindsey Haskin). Narrated by Oscar-winning actor J.K. Simmons, this film tells the fascinating true story about remarkable people tackling an exotic species invasion that nearly destroyed the largest freshwater ecosystem on Earth: the Great Lakes. The silent predator devastated jobs and businesses, threatening the survival of cities, towns and indigenous communities across the region. The film traces how tenacious scientists identified the menace then struggled to control it. Their work continues to influence the Great Lakes region’s economic fortunes and sounds a warning about how invasive species threaten the future of vital natural resources and the prosperity of millions around the world today. This January 24 screening takes place in Rogers City which sits a short drive south of Lake Huron’s Hammond Bay where fishery scientists took up the challenge of controlling sea lamprey at a laboratory that still stands there. The Hammond Bay Biological Station remains the primary US federal laboratory conducting research into methods to control sea lamprey in the Great Lakes. People involved in that fight live in the region—including many who worked there in the 1960s.
Crossing Ontario: The End. Join Emmy award-winning photojournalist and documentary producer Corey Adkins for the premier of the latest in his 6-part Paddling the Great Lakes series on Friday evening as part of the Great Lakes Gala Reception & Films, taking place at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena from 6-9pm. Working as a cameraman/producer/director for the non-profit Stand Up for the Great Lakes, Corey has documented the group’s endeavors in crossing the Great Lakes (as well as traversing Michigan’s 50-mile Chain of Lakes Water Trail) in order to raise awareness and funds for these critical natural resources. Corey’s previous films from this series have been shown at the TBIFF and this, the final installment, is the culmination of the group’s 9-year project. With a 25-year video production career, Corey is also the Content/Communications Coordinator for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society.
Sanctuary Selections. The first professional film competition at the Thunder Bay Film Festival, solely focused on Great Lakes Content. The theme is “Representing the Great Lakes through Strong Storytelling” with a focus on discovery, authentic experience and human connection. The Top 5 films will be shown on Saturday, January 27 at 6pm at the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, when the winner will be announced. This competition is being held in partnership with The Sunset Project—a nonprofit organization focused on investing in creative communities and changing how northeast Michigan views mental health.
Student Film Competition. Students in grades 6 through 12 are invited to submit a short film, three minutes or less, related to “Life in the Great Lakes.” There is no entry fee and selected films will be shown at the festival on Saturday, January 27. Submission deadline: January 5, 2024. See attached for details.
COST:
All Access Thunder Pass – Valid for the entire festival ($125 per person)
TBIFF on the Road – Rogers City (Wednesday, January 24, 6-9pm, Rogers Theater. $10 per person)
TBIFF on the Road – Harrisville (Thursday, January 25 @ 6pm, Alcona County LIbrary. $10 per person)
Great Lakes Gala Reception & Films (Friday, January 26 – Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, 6-9pm. $30 per person includes hors d’oeuvres and dessert, with a cash bar)
Sanctuary Selections with The Sunset Project (Saturday, January 27 – Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena, 6-9pm. $20 per person includes light snacks, with a cash bar)
Programs (Varied times Friday, Saturday & Sunday. $10 per person, per program)
The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary encompasses 4,300 square miles in northwestern Lake Huron and exists to preserve our Great Lakes maritime heritage, including a significant collection of historic shipwrecks. Through innovative, accessible educational programs and community outreach, the sanctuary strives to protect our great lakes for future generations. The sanctuary promotes appreciation and responsible use of Thunder Bay, the Great Lakes and the oceans. Visit the sanctuary at ThunderBay.noaa.gov and at facebook.com/ThunderBayShipwrecks
