The exhibit explores the story of African American cooking in Rhode Island, from South County plantations to East Side of Providence farms, from church suppers to soul food restaurants and showcases the ingenuity of black food in slavery, survival and celebration. Visitors are taken on a journey that starts in the early 18th entury and delves into the complicated relationship between food and slavery. Highlights include 19th century archeological artifacts from black neighborhoods and historical accounts of 20th century black restaurants in Providence and Newport.
Visitors learned that the first oyster and alehouse opened in Providence in 1736 and was owned by freed slave, Emmanuel Manna Bernoon. Newport’s Charity “Duchess” Quamino, a slave, was the state’s most esteemed pastry chef who served delicacies to George Washington.
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