This year… A Virtual Juneteenth at Montpelier
Juneteenth became a state holiday in Texas in 1980, and a number of other states subsequently followed suit. It is the oldest known celebration honoring the end of slavery in the United States.
When I was growing up in immediately post-war Southern California I knew the name Juneteenth, after all my great Aunt DeeDee was the president of her local NAACP, but it wasn’t a public holiday, just a historical event that only Black folks knew about.
I was busy being a farmer in South Dakota when Juneteenth began to be a nationally recognized day of recognition that I mostly heard about on public radio. So it wasn’t till I came to Virginia and became a historian that Juneteenth became an annual event in which I took some part.
Which brings me to Montpelier. There, for several years, I have had the great pleasure of talking Emancipation, slavery, and African American foodways for their annual event.
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Cooking over an open fire and talking to the visitors has always been a long and fulfilling day for me. I usually make my biggest 5 gallon cast iron kettle full of chicken stew, and many, many, many corn pone (small fried corn cakes) to share. Last year my helpers and I fed over 250 visitors hot samples fresh from the griddle.
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Sigh!! As you can well imagine the COVID shutdown has us presenters and museum personnel deeply disappointed at the necessary cancellation of the live event.
Hurrah! Montpelier has created a VIRTUAL JUNETEENTH to be online and I get to be part of it. I am so very delighted. Here I am with the lovely videographer Jeni as we film inside one of the South Yard Dwellings.
![](https://www.indigohouse.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/virtual-juneteenth-2020-1-1024x768.jpg)
For dates of release do check at the Montpelier website: https://www.montpelier.org/
4 Comments
Paul Roundy
I just saw you on the show A Taste of Hstory that is on Amazon Prime. Like many people today I have become much more aware of my food sourcing and food quality. I am always looking for good sources to provide me information about both of those. I was totally taken in by your quiet elegance. I had to look you up and found your website. I hope to learn more by following your website and resources etc.
Leni Ashmore Sorensen
Thank you for your kind words! I do hope you enjoy the website and if you click on ‘subscribe’ you will receive the free e-newsletter each month with a recipe and comments. Happy cooking!
Ann Hall
I just watched you doing a presentation at Monticello and learned so much. I know I will enjoy your newsletters. You do have a most interesting background! Thank you .
Leni Ashmore Sorensen
Thank you for your kind words. It is such a wonderful space to work in! And thank you for subscribing to the newsletter. Regards, Leni