First Time Black Woman Cooks in this Kitchen Since the 19th Century

Joseph McGill, founder of the Slave Dwelling Project, invited me to hearth cook for an event at Point of Honor Museum in Lynchburg, VA. I interpreted a day in the life of an enslaved cook. Come to find out I am the first black woman to cook in the kitchen since the 19th century.
Joseph McGill- The Slave Dwelling Project slavedwellingp...
Dontavius Williams- The Chronicles of Adam / thechroniclesofadam
Rodney Prioleau- Brick Maker
Nicole Moore- www.interpretin...
Kelley Deetz- www.virginiahi...
Clothing
Corset- RedThreaded redthreaded.com
Mask- Brush and Thimble on Etsy
Chemise/Shift- Trousseau Victorian on Etsy (in the video I switched the name, but this is the correct name of the store)
Food
Chicken Pie recipe- The American Frugal Housewife by Lydia Maria Child
Egusi Soup- Top Secret Cheyney Recipe...No in true African fashion I winged it
Further Reading-
Bound to the Fire: How Virginia's Enslaved Cooks Helped Invent American Cuisine By Kelley Deetz
Thank you Point of Honor Museum Staff for making this happen! Thank you Emily, Ted and Tanya for being amazing host!
www.pointofhonor.org
Videos of Joseph McGill, Dontavius Williams, and Rodney Prioleau were taken from the Lynchburg Museum System Facebook Live videos.
To support my work please become a patron on Patreon. / notyourmommashistory
Website- NotYourMommasHistory.com
Facebook- / 300919986774827
Twitter- @MommasHistory
Instagram- NotYourMommasHistory

[@jaspersgrimoire]

The socks and sandals with the otherwise period ensemble is historical costumer culture

[@ragnkja]

In antiquity, sandals were regularly worn with some kind of socks (though not socks as we know them, since knitting hadn’t been invented yet) to protect the feet against hot sand. In cooler, wetter climates, people typically wore shoes or boots, rather than sandals, or walked barefoot.

[@emyemyemyyyy]

@@ragnkja I believe knitting has been around since the 5th century.

[@ragnkja]

@@emyemyemyyyy Knit garments only became common around the 12th century. Before that, it was mostly a regional and decorative art. Also, 5th century isn’t quite “antiquity” according to most definitions.

[@wwondertwin]

Knitting may have been around in ancient Rome. It's a rather recent idea based on the dodecahedrons found all over Roman army camps. People have tested these dodecahedrons for knitting socks and more and they work! Even better than knitting needles.

[@candicesawyer2895]

@@wwondertwin as a knitter, just watching the videos of knitting with dodecahedrons, Roman knitting looked very long and laborious. Maybe it was useful for people with no knitting skills??? In my opinion, knitting with needles are been speedier and more applicable for finer yarns used in socks. I believe knitting using two needles has been around since 1400 BCE.

[@conho4898]

I get the disturbing nature of the name Lynchburg, but I just did a Google search and apparently, it was named after John Lynch, and he freed his own slaves and was a proponent of antislavery movement. Really ironic tbh

[@tammi67able]

Yes it is ironic

[@mari-greciaodal2436]

Funny, i was just about to google the name. i had thought it had to do with lynching. but i am so relieved it was the name og a good, enlightened human being. thank you, you did my homework!😊

[@maureentuohy8672]

Lynch is a common Irish name. It’s a shame that that name is forever connected to a deplorable, disgusting practice of mob murder. Thank you for stating the record for poor Mr. Lynch.

[@simpulacra]

And his ancestor created the practice of lynching which is why it's named after him. So really not very iconic at all. That family clearly did more harm than good.

[@kryptism]

Charolettesville is the modern Lynchburg!

[@trishayamada807]

I can not believe the layers of clothes. That had to be so hot with just the warm weather, and then add cooking by a hearth! Wow.

[@yolandarobinson1990]

My thoughts exactly.

[@covertLLC]

Light loose fabrics helped with personal ventilation but it's that corset for me. That is what would make it unnecessarily hot and uncomfortable the shif and other garments looked fairly loose and airy. It may not be confining and more comfortable than a modern bra, but it covers so much and on top of the shif. I'm sweating just thinking about it.

[@candicehoneycutt4318]

@@covertLLC If you're wearing a corset correctly, it shouldn't be super confining

[@aazhie]

@@candicehoneycutt4318 it's still an extra layer of clothing which most modern folks would not voluntarily wear. It traps body heat, especially with support materials and multiple layers of fabric. Even the more modest bras cover a lot less skin! I don't think corsets need to be uncomfortable, but I also cannot wear a shirt under my scrubs when work is warmer than 70 degrees F because I'm a spoiled baby. XD I have wore corsets that are more comfortable than basic dress wear, but they still tend to have more substance than a modern bra!

[@beverlybalius9303]

They were usually thin cotton Lenin ,,,, then Muslin also.

[@doitwithgrace3850]

I LOVED the part where you allowed us to “get dressed with you”!! I’m always so fascinated by poor and working-class dress in history, since I feel like it gets largely ignored in favor of more glamourous upper-crust outfits.

[@lorrilewis2178]

Agree!

[@Virginny]

You would love Crows eye productions than.

[@cottonhairedaesthetic2005]

I wouldn't call it "poor" or "working class"

[@ChazoAnwah]

@@cottonhairedaesthetic2005 what would you call it then?

[@cottonhairedaesthetic2005]

@@ChazoAnwah they were enslaved. That’s not poor, it’s beneath it.

[@petuniaandpoppy4615]

Thank you for interpreting. As a living history interpreter of European decent, I admire your willingness to step into the shoes of people who lived a daily trauma. I would never blame any person of color for not wanting to participate in living history. But at the same time, it’s hard to see their ancestors unrepresented and their stories untold. May many good things come your way!!!

[@gdust6579]

the slow paced life in her videos is quite peaceful to watch despite the slavery. its very respectful that she is doing this and educating people about life back then too

[@ShaneshaS]

If your were an actual history intepreter, you'd know that white European slaves are much more unrepresented than ours, literally no one is talking about the barbary corsairs and we're only taught our peoples struggles in school.

[@mianguyen7061]

I watch a lot of “get ready with me” videos on vintage and ancient style dress and I loved that this was the first one I had seen where the person dressing wasn’t a size 0, was dressing themselves, and was also going to be doing more than “sitting pretty.” It’s great to see how most people would’ve been dressing day to day and not just what just the most rich of the rich would have been doing.

[@thetillerwiller4696]

If you love watching working class getting dressed videos I recommend crows eye production, they got a couple working class videos in different time periods

[@hankymcspanky1113]

I agree with you for the most part, but most people were very small, and didn’t eat a whole lot of fattening food back then, so the size 0 thing might actually be more realistic, even if it is harder for some to relate to these days.

[@mimireuser5383]

I love the comments saying this “don’t sit right with them”. This is called history, this happened whether it “don’t sit right” with you or not. You think this sat right with your great great great great grandmas and grandpas? If it wasn’t for the fighting that our relatives and ancestors did, you would still be doing this. Case closed.

[@jasmyng5494]

It makes them uncomfortable. They don't want to be faced with the atrocities. They wanna act like this was eons ago despite the fact that their great grandparents were alive during this time. Its a way to try to distance themselves from history and the truth.

[@littlefoxglove276]

people will jump onboard any conspiracy theory and yet the simple concept of "this history will get buried or even actively suppressed if we don't revisit it every so often" is above their paygrade 🙄😑

[@natalieshepp641]

Boom! Blippity blippity! Lol. Moving on!

[@rayan9557]

Period Say it louder for those in the back!

[@nadirahcroom1938]

Agreed

[@MaddiGirl16]

You couldn’t pay me enough to go to no “lynch-burg, Virginia”😭😂

[@beautifulbritni21]

Literally same I'm in danger everywhere but you're asking for it in lynchburg 😂😂😂

[@wildcrocus]

It goes over about as well as Concentration Camptown. Seriously raises questions about why they haven't changed the name

[@braidedgirl757]

Same....I've lived in VA for 20 yrs and I would nevvvaaaa go there lol

[@talghow-i2326]

I would have to much triggered anxiety apprehension. Sorry I detest human bulling.😒😔😞

[@hopeisevilloveisnot]

Yeah, uh no.... and no to dressing like a slave at a "former plantation" my grandmother and great grand did enough of that so that I don't have to....ijs

[@naminicholson5815]

Amazing. I got goosebumps when you said you were the first Black woman to cook in that kitchen since the 19th century. This is what living history is all about, isn’t it? I didn’t see a pocket when you dressed; is this because separate pockets weren’t used in the period, or that it wouldn’t be part of an enslaved person’s clothing? And I totally covet your boots.

[@miriamendersby_soprano5503]

I may be wrong but I believe that separate pockets disappeared in the 19th century because victorian sensibilities didn't like ladies fishing around in their skirts. I saw a video a while back which said it was the beginning of the lack of pockets in women's clothing today

[@LRuck-fd7zt]

THIS! Comment. Seems... To Be, The MOST! Senseable, I've Read. On The Subject. Of The Video.

[@LRuck-fd7zt]

@Nami Nicholson Comment... Seems To Be, The Most Senseable. Related To The Subject. Of The Video.

[@thetillerwiller4696]

Yeah separate pockets weren’t really worn during this period

[@JBunny7482]

I watch an 1820s historical channel, the tie pockets were coveted at that time. Not sure what year they completely disappeared.

[@NeccoWecco]

A few weeks ago i was browsing google maps and i saw "Lynchburg" and I thought "Holy..." what a horrible name for a town.

[@SavageGreywolf]

Lynch just means 'hill' and plenty of people have had it as a surname. The unfortunate connotation came a lot later.

[@zombiedoggie2732]

I had the same reaction. Here's to hopes the town itself predates what the word "Lynch" turned into!

[@thepettiestpersonever6534]

Jack Daniels is made at a distellery in Lynchburg, Tennessee

[@zombiedoggie2732]

@@thepettiestpersonever6534 That is very interesting.

[@vikkizoo1]

I love that you showed your acrobatics. Most people put things on “properly” without a mention of movement or activities. ♥️

[@ultramewmewfan]

What. Are. Those (socks and sandals are peak covid fashion) So happy to see your uploads again!!!

[@dontaviuswilliams206]

Lololol they were so comfy. My shoes are extremely heavy. The sandals came off when the program started. :)

[@ultramewmewfan]

@@dontaviuswilliams206 honestly I can't speak, I haven't left my fluffy slippers all quarantine and no matter how much they call it summer, England just doesn't get very warm. By the way... That suit looks AMAZING on you!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@rosemali3022]

Facts! Socks and sandles, no bra, not matching, no pants lmao. Whenever possible at least.

[@anyoldwhimsybymimzy]

Showing up at an event with comfy modern shoes is reenactor LIFE

[@cap4life1]

Thank you so much for highlighting the Slave Dwelling Project. What a fantastic way to tell the stories of our ancestors. Will check it out! Also egusi soup!! Impressed that you cooked this over a hearth fire!! I could see pumpkin seeds as a substitute with egusi but not sure what could replace the palm oil flavor or crayfish during that time in America.

[@Lill2895]

My dad's side is from Louisiana so I'd assume that crayfish would be available depending on location of the plantations. Kind of like how gator or certain vegetation would have been available to grow or import to certain states.

[@Adinamfeldman]

Man every day I feel more and more let down by my public school education. What an incredible video! That food looked incredible and I was SHOOK when you said you’re the first black woman to cook in that kitchen since the 18th century. Damn. How far we’ve come and how far we still have to go.

[@bellanutella7091]

Yeah I lived in Texas and I would never have known what those old texmex settlements looked like if it wasn’t still being used today

[@holzlastname1976]

Oh my gosh Dontavius Williams has such a beautiful voice ❤️

[@dontaviuswilliams206]

Thank you!

[@deluxecoco2789]

I grew up in Williamsburg Virginia and so I take viewing this history for granted. Just discovered your channel today and I love that you are bringing this part of history to the social media space. As a history buff I’m loving the channel.

[@SaidiLouise]

"I am very fleshy"....I've always used the term "fluffy" when speaking of myself...but I LOVE fleshy!

[@GAshoneybear]

I love fluffy too!

[@dovelady3am815]

The word fluffy was bandied about ... "Mom, when I get old (what?) I want to be fluffy like you!" Said my daughter of 23. So... I am old AND fluffy, 😆!

[@GeeklingNo1]

Watching various white people come in to watch gave me chills. This is showing how an enslaved black woman was used in a household and it allows people to understand that plantations were only beautiful to the owners.

[@bookwyrmneducator]

I had no idea about the Slave Dwelling Project so thank you for sharing. It's definitely going on the family roadtrip list post pandemic. I thoroughly enjoy your videos, and love learning from you. Thanks!

[@crystalh1402]

The get dressed with me bit at the beginning was so informational on how all the pieces work together 👍 Tehe loved your “yeah!” when your pie was done 😋

[@stephaniewoods2374]

I am just in love with your channel! I'm here from "Ask a Mortician", and I'm just so interested! I've always wanted to do this type of work and to see it from your point of view is just incredulous!

[@Flanuora]

Thank you for talking about the Covid measures taken and your rational. It’s so important and so appreciated! As a nurse who talks with the public daily about this. It’s so meaningful to me. I’m really enjoying your channel for many reasons.

[@melbrak271]

Ma'am you cook like I do 😂 "Oh, that recipe sounds good. Lemme just change a few things to make it a lil ~extra~"

[@cynhanrahan4012]

Now you've gone and made me hungry! Watching you over that fire, in all those layers, all the lifting and bending, I kept thinking how hot and tired you must have been. Thank you for showing us a small glimpse into the lives of enslaved people.

[@Ambarfing]

i loooove this channel so much-! so fun to see you get into costume behind the scenes. as a half white-southern, half black caribbean person, ‘plantation’ museums have always seemed a little exclusionary + a LOT idealistic to me, so learning abt the work the Slave Dwelling Project is doing is really amazing! i hope it keeps going strong!

[@lyllydd]

Thank you. I'm a former SCA chick. Have always loved historic re-enactment and historic cooking. It was only when I stumbled onto Michael Twitty's site that I realized how much of the history of my own country I DIDN'T know. Just recently fell down another rabbit hole and found your channel. You are doing a great thing by telling the story of enslaved people, especially to us white people who are trying to learn. This is amazing!

[@healinggrounds19]

This is a good rabbit hole to follow, especially with all the political turmoil hitting the SCA.

[@Blitzcomo]

This is so cool! Given everything, the mask doesn't really look that out of place as part of the completed outfit. Meat pie doesn't sound phenomenal to me, but you definitely made it look super yummy!

[@River2500]

Thank you for interpreting and sharing the lives of the enslaved. You've opened my eyes to another side of history, and I'm so grateful to learn about it!

[@jazminekelly4738]

I cannot thank you enough for this representation. I am a student of history myself and you are truly inspiring.

[@adedow1333]

That looks like it was so much fun! Also so hot. I'm a Virginia girl and I know those summers! I'm totally with you about the lack of mask in the kitchen. Gotta feel like you can breathe! Thanks for this!

[@TudorositiesbyMaureen]

You are super brave and dedicated to be interpreting during COVID-19. The food you made sounds great, thanks for sharing your recipe resource and your thoughts on the substitutions. Please be safe, hoping quarantining is uneventful.

[@thebratqueen]

Period cooking over a hearth fire, my weakness

[@folasolanke5080]

I really like this episode and found it so interesting with the parallel with west African cooking,with enslaved person cooking on the plantation. Can we have more....?

[@lydia1634]

I was watching this video (fell down the algorithm hole from historical fashion tube) and ended up having a long conversation with my five-year-old daughter about the history of enslavement. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to listen to the stories of marginalized peoples and show my daughter how important those stories are.

[@susiefisch]

It’s always so magical when you bake something in a Dutch oven! The pie looked great!

[@jazliek9941]

I'm currently reading Michael Twitty's The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South which feels very in line with this video. Love your videos❤

[@KKIcons]

Thanks for mentioning that resource. I am interested in reading that.

[@YV09876]

That sounds like a nice book.

[@thebookwyrmslair6757]

Also, thank you for highlighting some of Dontavius & Rodney's interpretation, too! I'd love to hear all three of y'all's stories.

[@GROOVIN2050]

Again, another wonderfully articulated look into historical times gone by...thank you!

[@petapendlebury9024]

Really enjoyed watching this - thank you. And what a clever way to cook the pie.

[@heatherdawson74]

I had that weird light bulb moment of “oh...that is probably where the name chicken pot pie comes from...”

[@graceoneill9887]

i love that you want to keep slave history alive because even though it’s sad and wrong, we need to know these things so it never happens again❤️

[@lorrilewis2178]

I am seriously impressed with the clothing, setting, and everything about this recreation. You make us feel we've taken a time machine!!!

[@thelostpumpkin4146]

This was so interesting! I don't know much US history and it feels like everything I hear about black American history starts in the 1960s, so it was really great to watch something so informative from earlier time periods

[@elizabethmaelewis]

Thank you so much! That was so interesting. Having spent summers as a kid at my grandma's house up the hill from point of honor, I cannot imagine cooking over a fire in a Lynchburg summer. :)

[@pamelaeversole6050]

I melted down just watching you put those layers on!! I can’t imagine adding the heat of the fire. You do wonderful work! ❤️

[@Luwho]

Sing it, Dontavius, sing it.

[@bridgetisadreamer]

Absolute legend! Glad that you have been able to be safe while working in these difficult times and that you've gotten to see folks you're fond of. Thank you for all your hard work!

[@estonia76]

omg the period appropriate fabric mask! You are so wonderful, I love your channel.

[@iMsaraaM]

I was just led to your work by Caitlin Doughty and found this incredible video filmed within a mile of our home! (I'm so disappointed that I missed your mad Dutch oven skills) I'm overjoyed that our community is taking steps to share history as it occurred. Our last venture to a historical site in this area ended with my (then) 9 year old asking loudly and proudly in response to the interpreter's spiel "Mama, isn't saying someone was good to their slaves an oxymoron?" "Yes baby, it is. Slavery is slavery. Excellent use of the word oxymoron." And then we were gone. You are seen, you are heard and you are making a difference.

[@NaomiDollxoxo]

Moving around while putting on the corset is genius and making me wonder why the hell I've put up with discomfort instead....

[@Rach1313]

Absolutely LOVE this video for it's real/raw interpretation of history in earlier America and the best part for me that made my heart happy was the clip of y'all just relaxing and having a good Tim together at the end of a long day💜💜💜

[@spacewinter]

Why is this channel just now being being reccomended me!? Great content!

[@bonniebabird]

Thanks to all who made this video. Impossible to imagine the physical reality of the heavy clothes, heat of the kitchen stoves and summer heat and humidity. Doubt I'd have survived for long. I enjoyed your recipes!

[@hermesgeko]

Awesome that you showed everything! Thank you for letting us all in on your experience. There is nothing better than allowing education and reenactment of history to get out there!

[@thebookwyrmslair6757]

This reminds me! I was at Bent's Old Fort (Santa Fe trail outpost in eastern Colorado) and they mentioned that the Bent family had at least one enslaved person who served as the head cook for the entire camp. They had an outdoor fire going and it was ridiculously hot on a June day. Loved being able to see how you put the turban on and your mask is adorable! This is such a great idea to reclaim the whole history of a place instead of just the pretty main house.

[@tracycameron2580]

I'm so glad to hear you made a roux , added chicken stock veg and seasoning! The original recipe sounded terrible, but I'm curious to know if you ever made it this way and what it tasted like?

[@dorcuslee4188]

AMAZING. I have to admit... I got angry watching this because I imagined our ancestors dealing with this day in and day out, while not having the opportunity to exercise the freedom of getting dressed to go somewhere and have a picnic or take a walk just because or even go see a family member in the next plantation because you have to get permission from your Master. But as I continued to watch, it makes me appreciate that they did not give up and now we can excel far greater today and I can Imagine that is what they hoped and prayed for back then. THANK YOU for this illustration 💌💌

[@TRene-up9zq]

How can one get evolved with Historical Interpreting? I'd love to do some historical interpreting, if only for the experience. But I got a feeling I'd like it lot. And I'm so serious about my question.

[@natalieshepp641]

I wondered that as well!

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

Perhaps inquire at a local historical society? They may have resources and connections for you.

[@rachelr9157]

You can reach out to local historical societies and museums for opportunities. Also look up large events (usually held annually) as those tend to be the times that historical interpretation is most frequent (I used to work at a museum that only did it once a year). It also helps to have an idea of what you are interested in it can help draw you to a different museum based on their interpretation focus and be really honest in your initial conversations about your interests and comfort level (are you comfortable public speaking, types of clothes, and the roles you will do) so you know you have found a good fit.

[@ToastontheEastCoast]

I really appreciate the attention to detail shown and the fact that you are sharing history from a perspective that is too often ignored and overlooked. Watching you cook on the open fire was both fascinating and terrifying, seeing how close your skirts came to those flames at times made my heart jump. It really makes a person wonder and realize how many women were likely injured or killed due to their clothes getting too close to open flames.

[@elewysoffinchingefeld3066]

That pie sounds AMAZING! I don't know about the soup--you mentioned a lot of ingredients I'm not familiar with, but I love that you did so much research to create a period-appropriate flavor profile. Fascinating!

[@bethreed3810]

This was very powerful to watch. Thank you for your willingness to put yourself in such a position for our education.

[@cheerful_something_something]

I learn so much every video, thank you for all of this time and effort, and messsages I can bring into my daily life. And thank you for explaining the precautions and risks you and the venue discussed, it's so important to be concious of the risks we are taking, why and when.

[@meagang9955]

What a great kitchen space! And I need to look up that book now! Thank you for sharing your history with us!

[@antiquitywright3533]

Love the details and research about your recipes! And this is making miss living history events something fierce!

[@klomax7089]

Thank you for these historical interpretations, I’m binge-watching all of them this weekend 😊 I’ve been camping since I was a kid so I know how to cook over an open fire, but I’ve never known how to BAKE something without an oven (except baked potatoes in ashes, which now that I think about is kinda the same process!). Thanks for showing how you made that delicious looking pot pie, that was fascinating! Definitely learned something new, and can really now appreciate the level of effort it took just to cook all day using only a fireplace. I’m looking outside right now thinking I only have enough trees to cook for bout a week! Wow. Just wow. Thank you 🙏🏾

[@pixie6133]

I found this channel during the pandemic and watched quite a few videos. Didn't know what to say then, but felt an abundance of feeling and respect. Watching again now, and have the courage to clearly state how amazing it is to see this. Thank you.

[@buckeyehockey1979]

To your point about the mask over the fire. As a former Healthcare worker I can tell you air flow isn't the only thing you have to worry about. Heat illneses are far more of a concern. Breathing is one of your body's ways of cooling itself. Your choice not to wear your mask over the fire was a good one. Also thank you so much not only for this excellent presentation of information but also for doing everything you could to minimize the risk of spreading COVID.

[@lestatsluv317]

I just found your channel completely by accident and I absolutely love it! I have been obsessed with history all of my life and I think it's so important. Sometimes it feels like people pay it no mind and I feel like one of the best ways to teach history is to literally show people what has come before... so they see the best and worst ways to move forward. Also it's amazing to think that, as the first black woman to cook in that kitchen since the 19th century, that makes you the first free black woman to ever cook there. The work you and your friend is doing is so important. 🙂

[@racheld8387]

Love this channel! Thanks for taking COVID seriously, and for bothering to talk about the measures you took to protect others

[@I_Six_Pennywise_Fnaf]

I'm a white woman in my 40s, and I'm really enjoying watching these videos you guys are sharing. The are very interesting and I love you guys' personality - you guys make these history videos fun. Big Congrats on being the first black woman to cook in this kitchen in years. That is a big honor. 😁

[@nyves104]

This so cool! I really liked that you showed not only getting ready, but all the measures you all had to take because of covid alongside of the heart of the video. And thank you for sharing your food history knowledge, that is my jam!

[@Elisacr1]

I think the history of poor and working class people is more interesting than the history of rich people. Practical history brings people to life.

[@Melissa-cl2rf]

Thank you. Watching this is amazing. As you explained your thought process behind the Egusi soup, I got hit with this wave of sadness and loss - I was struck with how many people and civilizations have been forgotten simply bc they didn't leave any permanent structures behind, or they kept records in a different way (or not at all), or jerks deliberately erased tangible evidence of their existence. It's depressing that no matter how we reinterpret history, we'll only ever have THAT history to work with - the one that favors *written* record-keeping practices, the victors' spoils of war, and structures that could stand the test of time. Living history, and the innovation you displayed in making that soup, is the closest we'll get to something different I guess. Again, thank you. Also: now on the waitlist for Bound to the Fire, so thanks for the book rec as well!

[@simonemoore3846]

This is very bitter sweet. I love the representation and homage to our ancestors. But watching those yt ppl watch y’all is kinda unsettling.

[@MrzTeria]

Girl yes

[@BGIRL1120196]

Yes. We want the museums to stop pretending that we didn’t exist, but there is a reason there are no re-enactors at Holocaust museums, or prison museums, or the Ann Frank museum...makes we wonder if the slave parts should simply told by knowledgeable historians in modern clothing

[@katyb.3520]

Why does it have to be me vs. you still? Why can’t it be us working together to love each other and learn safely? ♥️🤟🏻 I get that not every person of my skin is in it to love, but a lot of people are. The only difference between us is our color in my opinion.

[@BGIRL1120196]

@@katyb.3520 Very true Katy, love is always the answer, lol. Not sure all of what you are thinking, but as a nation there is still some healing to do: "truth and reconciliation." It's important to get through this conversation so that we can get past it. When I discovered my third great grandmother, Diana Serrington, age 8, was taken from a NJ estate, from her parents and given as a wedding present... I treat that history with a kind of quiet reverence. There is a need to know who I am but also a need to tread carefully when managing the shock of seeing a child in your family, sold or gifted.

[@simonemoore3846]

@@katyb.3520 no one said it was me vs you. The reality is this was a great source of trauma that continues to affect future generations. It’s not cute that y’all like black ppl but not enough to end systematic racism or modern day slavery. You saying color don’t matter after you ancestors worked so hard for it to matter Invalidates black experiences and disrespects the ppl who created your future. 🙄 you don’t see Holocaust re-enactments and less ppl died there. 🙄

[@merindymorgenson3184]

You all look wonderful! And the pot pie sounds amazing! All your cooking choices sound delicious! Yum! I’m so glad you are bringing your talents to sharing this history that we all need to hear. Learning the past is one of the best ways to help avoid making its mistakes in the future. And thank you for delineating all your Covid precautions.

[@thearchivemermaid2033]

You are living my dream! I'm MUCH further west so we are lacking greatly in the historic buildings aspect- my state doesn't even exist yet.

[@BVoshol]

I definitely heard "ground up a bunch of 'f****n' seeds" at first! Whoops! "Ground up a bunch of PUMPKIN seeds". Hey... both work. Also, this was super interesting! Thanks so much for documenting this.

[@DeonnTheProfessional]

The KZbin Algorithm blessed me with this video! Really enjoy all your videos and channel :)

[@sweetromance8264]

It takes a lot of talent to be able to cook with an open fire. Getting the food completely cooked but not burnt. Keeping the fire steady was just one issue. No dials to turn for this.🌹

[@LDrosophila]

It is so sad how much of our history is missing because we lost many of the enslaved voices, but I am thankful for your content which gives us glimpses to their names and deeds.

[@natalieshepp641]

I love your videos!! I just found them and it brings so much clarity and honesty to this hard topic. Your real! Thank you for never sugar coating this.

[@marylclc1269]

I'm absolutely loving your videos. I've cried more than once. Laughed more than once. I'm learning so much. Now, I'm going to have to make a chicken pie for dinner from the leftover cooked chicken breast I have in the refrigerator.

[@margokovolesky9060]

Thank you so much for sharing, we cannot forget the past. It should never be ‘erased’ - we cannot afford to ever repeat it.

[@trojanette8345]

Thank you also for showing that you offered and shared hearth cooked foods with guests. I've been to a few historical sites and I always ask if staff has ever cooked on the hearth. I always get a, "Yes", answer. But when I ask if they've shared any of it with guests or the public (so they can fully enjoy the experience), I am REPEATEDLY told "No". When asked why The staid, tried and true answer is that it's b/c of "food safety" -- this was well B 4 COVID. Just curious: When you pitched U R cooking idea to the Point of Honor Historic Site, did staff at all give you a hassle about wanting to cook there?

[@janecadieux]

Thanks so much for sharing your insights! I’d love to know more about the egusi (sp?) soup. I’m all about the one-pot meals. I’d also love to know where you got your boots. They look like they might be wide enough for me!

[@egbeetchu]

Egusi soup is also a west African meal, if you google it. You will see some recipes

[@simdollzproductions9724]

It’s so good with fufu or you can serve it over rice

[@KKIcons]

Yeah her outfit was so beautiful, and the shoes looked great with it as well. American Duchess makes historically accurate but comfortable shoes. It might be that brand. They have limited run editions, but you could take a screen shot and ask if it is theirs and/or when they will have something like that.

[@janecadieux]

@@KKIcons American duchess shoes are very narrow.

[@valariebrown3768]

Thank you for making this. The pie you made in the Dutch oven is just lovely, and soup sounds tasty. The clothing, the information, vital things to learn about.

[@jamahltulloch5266]

I love these presentations. And thank you for sharing your process getting dressed. I love knowing that there are other human beings in this world who dance and stretch and flex and gyrate into their garments, one layer at a time, for perfect aesthetic balance. Most importantly, these provide an inspiring bedth of ideas and contemplations upon the past. Very thought provoking. Another take-away that I enjoy is being given the sense of what casual (or even uncommon) life was like for Blacks of these periods. The portrayal of enslaved individuals and how they made the best of themselves and of life is very meaningful and I feel it can lead to a healthy sense of how to regard our past as we move forward.

[@Simeonpravoslav]

Again, a well done interpretation. Thank you.

[@Carol120454]

So interesting seeing you cook in the fireplace. Everyone who cooked back then had to cook like that. No stoves, ovens, or refrigerators. Here in NE, the houses were called stone enders because one entire wall was a big fireplace for cooking and heating the house. It was a lot of work to cook, which they had to do everyday. Makes me realize how spoiled we are today. Thanks for all your work.

[@elcatmanman8642]

Came for the historical context, stayed longer for the corset info because that corset is gorgeous !

[@SarahBent]

Fantastic. Love seeing that you are able to relax and enjoy yourself at the end of the day. :) always fascinated by experimental archeology. And all the food sounds delicious.

[@spiderkiller64]

I love your historical narratives. The way you show what your doing helps me to wrap my head around slavery in a more personal and gut wrenching way. I see you cooking in the kitchen and think about the open fireplace and your cotton skirts and the heat in the kitchen! You are one tough lady. I'd be wilting in seconds. I thought how easy it would be to catch your skirts on fire (I was relieved to see how careful you were) and yet no expectation of care if you were burned, or cut your hands with that big knife. Seeing what you do makes this situation really come alive, and now every time I cook I will remember you cooking and what it would be like to cook knowing that if anything happened, I would b punished more and left to rot. Your steady calm guides me to take in the situation in a way I don't think I could without you. Thank you.

[@carolynrichardsonjohnson1029]

I just found your channel and I love it. We can learn from our history and evolve as a people ❤ Thank you

[@liljojo2590]

Just discovered this channel and I'm obsessed! Love the content and thank u for bringing history to life! ❤❤❤❤❤

[@3bellam]

loved seeing how you put together your outfit!

[@concertmasterp]

WOW. I just came across this and it was impressive. Your explain the clothing as you dressed is on point. I am with a renaissance faire and the outfits I wear are hand beaded and copied from historical art works. One outfit I wear weighs about 30 pounds, jacket, Shirt, and trousers. The lady who plays our queen takes one hour to dress and her dress alone is 90 pounds. I am so glad I found you and this project. I have shared this video with colleagues at the HBCU I was a part of.

[@dovelady3am815]

Thank you for demonstrating the skills and explanation of the past. I'm proud of my black heritage because our ancestors were so much stronger than we are. I'd love to know how to cook on a hearth!

[@shimronnetia]

Joseph McGill, thank you on your Project

[@coreyparson9906]

Thank you for what you do, and during a pandemic no less. You are a huge inspiration!

[@cheryljones]

I love the spirit you carry, and the good work you do in helping us all remember who we are and what we came from!😊💕👍

[@pizzyg]

I love time period channels which look back at history. GREAT JOB!!!