Black Pioneer Cookbook

Alton, Illinois: Black Pioneer Committee, Alton Museum of History & Art, [1990]. Octavo, comb bound illustrated wrappers, 114, [2] pp, illustrated. A cookbook compiled by a group of African American women in Alton, Illinois who organized into a "Committee on Black Pioneers" in order "to document and preserve the art and history of the River Bend African Americans." The book "is dedicated to those early Pioneers whose skill and unique culinary talent adds to our region's heritage" (dedication). To this end, the book contains a number of recipes "handed down from the past," which are marked with four asterisks, including Grandma Sissy's chicken salad, Aunt Leana's vegetable gumbo, Southern Illinois beans 'n rice, and Liz's chicken with spicy peach sauce. There are several pages related to local African American and Underground Railroad history. Undated, but we found a 1990 newspaper article about the book. Five in OCLC. The Jemima Code, pp. 207. A very good copy with a hint of soiling to covers. Item #13420

Price: $250.00