Today is the birthdate of Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor — born April 4th, 1937….
Mrs. Smart-Grosvenor was a major influence and inspiration in the work I’ve been called to do 🙏🏾….
“Vertamae was a culinary anthropologist, griot, poet, and host of an award-winning NPR @npr series. She honored her Gullah upbringing in her masterful 1970 book Vibration Cooking: or the Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl. She was adamant that Black people’s food be a source of pride”.
~Descriptive excerpt from pg. 130 of the book: The Legacy Quilt: Black Culinary Contributions, 1619-2019… An In-Depth Look at the Centerpiece from MOFAD’s highly anticipated “African/American: Making the Nation’s Table” exhibition that was on view at @theafricacenter
PIC ‘DESCRIPTS’ [corresponding from left to right above…]:
1. Vertamae’s daughter Chandra and I at MOFAD’s “African | American: Making The Nation’s Table” exhibit in 2022 — she’s pointing at my MOFAD quilt panel and I’m pointing at the one of her Mother’s / Vertamae’s….
2. Vertamae’s legacy quilt panel …
3. The b&w photo of Vertamae circa 1970 that her quilt panel image is based on…
4. The info panel documenting and showcasing her culinary contributions at the MOFAD exhibit
5. my copy of “Vibration Cooking: or the Travel Notes of a Geechee Girl” by Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor (1970) from boxes and piles of library books that were going to be tossed at a branch closing!…..
6. my copy of “Vertamae Cooks: In the Americas Family Kitchen” by Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor (1996)
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Quilt Graphics by Adrian Franks (@afranks3). Text by Osayi Endolyn (@osayiendolyn). The #LegacyQuilt was thoughtfully handmade by @iamharlemneedlearts, “an arts and cultural organization at the forefront of revolutionizing, preserving and expanding the narrative of fiber, textile, design, and needle arts in the African Diaspora.” ~@MOFAD
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