Read Women discussion

Juneteenth is Thursday, June 19th, e.g. fast approaching! I encountered this list of Juneteenth events, along with recommended reading including articles, published by the Black Heritage Trail New Hampshire and thought it was an awesome resource to explore. It includes male authors, and some great ones at that.

https://blackheritagetrailnh.org/2025...

Mentioned:

Thomas Jefferson & Sally Hemings: An American Controversy by Annette Gordon-Reed (author of On Juneteenth which I read and recommend)

Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

Middle Grade adaptation: Never Caught, the Story of Ona Judge: George and Martha Washington's Courageous Slave Who Dared to Run Away; Young Readers Edition by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President's Black Family by Bettye Kearse

I Cannot Tell A Lie: The True Story of George Washington's African American Descendants by Linda Allen Bryant

The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family by Annette Gordon-Reed

Configuring History: Teaching the Harlem Renaissance through Virtual Reality Cityscapes by James J. Sosnoski

The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South by Michael W. Twitty (I recommend this book without reservation. If I recall correctly, he narrates the audiobook and that makes it special. I read 70 - 80% of it before I lost steam, but it was merely that Twitty includes a ton of information and my attention span would have been happy with moderately less info. But the learnings, oh my.)

High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America by Jessica B. Harris

Jefferson’s Chef - James Hemings From Slavery to Freedom by Sharon O. Lightholder

The General's Cook by Ramin Ganeshram

Then I took a look at the National Museum of African American History and Culture list and found much that is familiar but also a couple of new-to-me books that fit the cooking/food theme. https://nmaahc.si.edu/visit/museum-st...

[Carol's personal interest list, there are many more at the link] The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks by Toni Tipton-Martin

Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue by Adrian Miller

We Are Each Other's Harvest: Celebrating African American Farmers, Land, and Legacy by Natalie Baszile and check out the awesome cover


I'd love to read 2 or 3 of these, but am most likely to do so if there's a great audiobook, so if anyone has read them via audio and enjoyed them, let me know.

Do you have any Juneteenth-focused reading planned? What's on your list?

Carol wrote: "Thomas Jefferson & Sally Hemings: An American Controversy by Annette Gordon-Reed (author of On Juneteenth which I read and recommend)"

I also read On Juneteenth, and I also recommend it. Lots of great information in it.

I don't have anything specifically Juneteenth oriented. I have seven books from Audible Included that are disappearing on July 1, so I am trying to barrel through them! LOL. Everything else has to wait a couple of weeks.

Misty wrote: "Carol wrote: "Thomas Jefferson & Sally Hemings: An American Controversy by Annette Gordon-Reed (author of On Juneteenth which I read and recommend)"

I also read On Juneteenth, and I also recommend..."

Heard. And the “sale” didn’t help with my TBR management. 🤣🤣

Carol wrote: "Heard. And the “sale” didn’t help with my TBR management. 🤣🤣"

LOL!!! Right?! My TBR is OUT - OF - CONTROL!!!!!

I intended to read On Juneteenth (bought it), but unable to fit it in so far (because I keep deviating from plan!). But I've added it to my DEI challenge for future reference!

GailW wrote: "I intended to read On Juneteenth (bought it), but unable to fit it in so far (because I keep deviating from plan!). But I've added it to my DEI challenge for future reference!"

It's worthwhile any time, and the audio is a short one to consume, for future reference. Maybe 4 hours, depending on speed, if I recall correctly.