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Author Talk: ‘Braided Heritage’
In her thought-provoking keynote, Braided Heritage, DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS invites audiences to explore the rich intersections of food, history, and culture. Drawing on her decades of expertise as a culinary historian, author, and cultural scholar, Harris delves into the deep connections between heritage and identity, examining how food shapes and is shaped by cultural narratives.
A natural storyteller, Jessica brings to life the fascinating histories embedded in the foods we consume, highlighting how food can serve as both a vessel for tradition and a means of cultural expression. This captivating speech will leave audiences reflecting on the personal, societal, and historical impact of the meals we share.
Ideal for corporate events, academic conferences, and cultural gatherings, Jessica’s Braided Heritage presentation offers a unique and engaging look at how our past informs our present and how culture can be tasted, experienced, and remembered.
Cooking & Conversation: ‘High on the Hog’
Culinary historian, New York Times bestselling author of High on the Hog, and winner of 2 NAACP Image Awards, DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS has captivated audiences internationally with her Peabody Award-winning Netflix series. In this engaging conversation, Dr. Harris shares the stories of her career alongside some of her favorite heritage dishes.
Book purchases and signings with Dr. Jessica B. Harris are available upon request.
Hawkers, Caterers, & Restaurateurs: African Atlantic Pathways to Wealth
Drawing on her landmark exhibit African/American: Making the Nation’s Table presented by New York’s Museum of Food and Drink, DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS examines how African Americans in the United States and the diaspora used food as a vehicle for the creation of personal wealth. Drawing links between her archival research and today’s thriving African American culinary scene, Dr. Harris shares the cultural links that bind the countries of the hemisphere to the African continent.
Putting Gender on the Table
Culinary historian DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS shares her thoughts on the historically gendered roles of women and men in the world of food, providing insight into how we can form a more equitable future.
Studying the Silence: Approaches to African American History
Foremost expert in African Diaspora culture DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS shares how her research methods for looking for what is unsaid, alluded to, or simply ignored can give a more fully rounded picture of history. Applicable to academic, institutional, and personal intellectual pursuits, Dr. Harris provides the tools to fill in gaps of the archive with empathy, care, and respect.
Serve It Up: Food, Museums, & Community
Lauded for the success of her culinary community engagement, James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award winner DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS examines several ways in which including food can increase community outreach and improve attendance. Having successfully conceptualized the award-winning cafeteria of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture, Dr. Harris has firsthand experience crafting a menu of community outreach.
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Culinary historian Dr. Jessica B. Harris takes audiences on a journey through food, culture, and history with her new book, Braided Heritage
Culinary historian, New York Times bestselling author of High on the Hog, and winner of 2 NAACP Image Awards, DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS explores the fascinating role food plays in shaping our identities and understanding of cultural heritage in her book Braided Heritage.
With years of research and storytelling prowess, Dr. Harris has earned a reputation as one of the foremost voices on the intersection of culture, history, and food. Her powerful presentations engage audiences in a dialogue about the ways food tells the story of who we are and where we come from, creating a lasting impact long after the event ends.
Perfect for conferences, corporate retreats, and cultural summits, Dr. Harris’ expertise and storytelling abilities make her a sought-after speaker for any event focused on culture and history.
Watch Dr. Jessica B. Harris in conversation with The Strand >>
Dr. Jessica B. Harris’s heartwarming appearance on The Baldwin 100 podcast
Food historian DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS, author of the memoir High on the Hog (which became a popular Netflix series) and personal friend of James Baldwin, provided a touching retrospective on The Baldwin 100. In this fascinating episode, Dr. Harris discusses Baldwin’s move to France, the surprising and delightful role that food and hospitality played in his life and work, and what it was like to be roommates with Toni Morrison at Baldwin’s house in France.
Dr. Harris’s first-person perspectives are delivered with her natural grace. She reflects, “You’re taking me down memory lane, and it’s been a long way.”
Watch Dr. Jessica B. Harris’s lecture at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center >>
Watch Dr. Jessica B. Harris in conversation with The Washington Post >>
Dr. Jessica B. Harris receives consistent rave reviews for her live events
Culinary historian DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS consistently delights hosts at her live engagements. With five decades of experience as a beloved professor at Queens College/CUNY in New York, Dr. Harris’s ongoing guest lectures are always sold out. Here’s what her hosts have to say:
Watch Dr. Jessica B. Harris speak at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center >>
Watch Dr. Jessica B. Harris in conversation with The Strand >>
Bestselling author and historian Jessica B. Harris was “spectacular” in her event for Columbia University
Considered one of the ranking authorities on food of the African Diaspora, New York Times bestselling author DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS delivered a transcendent presentation for the African Diaspora Consortium & Columbia University – receiving rave reviews. An award-winning author, Dr. Harris was named to the TIME 100 Most Influential People and authored the book behind the Peabody-winning Netflix series, High on the Hog. When Dr. Harris visited Columbia University, the response was resounding: “It was spectacular! Naturally, Dr. Harris’ presentation was off the chart. Dr. Harris brought us a level of credibility that is already taking our work to a new level. Her presentation was the highlight of our event.”
The host followed up with additional praise, saying: “We fully anticipated the gravitas that her scholarship would bring to the occasion. However, her facility with language, particularly her ability to code switch effortlessly from one language to another and from one dialect to another, was an eyebrow raiser. Another noticeable asset was her ability to relate to the audience as a classroom teacher herself. I cannot imagine that we could have found a more appropriate speaker for the Workshop.”
Watch Dr. Jessica B. Harris’ keynote for the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center >>
Culinary historian Dr. Jessica B. Harris’ new Netflix docu-series High on the Hog receives the Peabody Award
New York Times bestselling author and culinary historian DR. JESSICA B. HARRIS has a new Netflix series, High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, chronicling the rich history of Black American food and its profound impact on American culture. Based on her two-time NAACP Image Award-winning, New York Times bestselling book of the same name, Dr. Harris’ docu-series has received significant acclaim, including nominations for an NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Documentary,” an IDA Documentary Award for “Best Multi-Part Documentary,” and a Peabody Award. Sharing stories of Black joy and liberation, Mashable has called the series: “a celebration of culture and cultural preservation that not only inspires but urges viewers to appreciate the complex origins of food and family tradition as part of our global history.”
A masterful storyteller, Dr. Harris is regarded as the leading expert in Black culinary history, and her new series is featured on numerous “best of” lists including Variety, The Root, The Hollywood Reporter, and more. She is a prolific cookbook author and the winner of a James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award, and shares with riveted audiences her depth of research and an engaging narrative history of African American cuisine. In an interview with Oprah Daily about the series, Harris says: “Food is such an absolute part of the human condition. That is something every person can connect with. It's the one thing on which we are all experts. […] we bring our history to the plate every time we sit down.”
Watch Dr. Jessica B. Harris present at the Library of Congress >>
Watch Dr. Jessica B. Harris in conversation with The Washington Post >>
Jessica B. Harris is considered by many to be one of the ranking authorities on the food of the African Diaspora. A New York Times bestselling author, she is the author, editor, or translator of eighteen books, including twelve cookbooks documenting the foodways of the African Diaspora. Her award-winning book, High on the Hog, winner of 2 NAACP Image Awards, was the basis for the acclaimed Netflix series of the same name.
She has lectured widely and written extensively for scholarly and popular publications. Harris consults internationally, is leading the Culinary Institute of America’s team to establish an African Diaspora concentration, and worked with the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture conceptualizing its cafeteria.
Dr. Harris holds degrees from Bryn Mawr College, Queens College/CUNY, The Université de Nancy, France, and New York University. She was granted an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Johnson & Wales University and holds numerous awards and accolades. In 2019, Harris’s books were inducted into the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame and she was the 2020 James Beard Lifetime Achievement awardee. She was named to the 2021 TIME Most Influential People list. Dr. Harris was a professor at Queens College/CUNY in New York for five decades and is currently professor emerita at that institution.
Visit Dr. Harris' website for more information.
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