The Table Freda Built At Ebony Magazine

For decades starting in the 1940s, Ebony was one of the only magazines created by Black people that spoke directly to Black people. It showed Black Americans falling in love, playing sports, dressing in style, gathering together – and eating. Freda DeKnight was the magazine’s first food editor, publishing recipes that were international and sophisticated, challenging the stereotype that Black American food was limited to soul food. Dan speaks with historian Donna Battle Pierce about Freda’s legacy, then meets Charla Draper, another Ebony food editor, at the Ebony test kitchen. After sitting unused for more than a decade, the kitchen and its original 1970s appliances were restored and transported to New York for an exhibit by the Museum of Food and Drink, where Dan saw it. Now it’s part of the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s permanent collection.

This episode originally aired on June 6, 2022, and was produced by Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O’Hara, Tracey Samuelson, Jared O’Connell, Oluwakemi Aladesuyi, Hali Bey Ramdene, and Alexis Williams. The Sporkful team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Kameel Stanley, and Jared O'Connell.

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