UA Little Rock Releases Commemorative Juneteenth Cookbook
In a flavorful tribute to both history and culture, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock has released a commemorative Juneteenth cookbook that pays homage to African American culinary heritage.
This cookbook serves as a celebration of Juneteenth, an important milestone in American history, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. The holiday originates from June 19, 1865, the day the last enslaved people in the country were freed in Galveston, Texas, at the end of the Civil War.
One of the most important parts of any Juneteenth celebration has always been the memorable food. UA Little Rock is continuing the legacy with the Juneteenth Celebration Cookbook 2023. The paperback cookbook includes a wide range of soul-inspiring recipes from the faculty and staff of UA Little Rock and the central Arkansas community.
The completion of the cookbook is a project that has been near and dear to the heart of Dr. Jennifer Hune, associate professor of education, for more than a year.
“The cookbook was a fun project for me,” Hune said. “During our initial discussions about the first Juneteenth celebration in 2022, we talked about how celebrations always surround food, and the idea of the cookbook was born. Many of the recipes I was able to curate came from people who were descendants of enslaved people or individuals who had done research about the recipes of Juneteenth.”
Hune, who is the great-granddaughter of enslaved people, submitted two family recipes – brains and eggs from her grandmother and a carrot cake recipe from her aunt. Hune received much assistance procuring additional recipes from the cookbook from Teresa Booth, who is retired from the Pulaski County, Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.
“Part of her job was to go around the state and help people who were disenfranchised figure out how to make meals with what they had on hand,” Hune said. “A lot of the recipes came from her travels around the state.”
Dr. Karen Kuralt, associate dean of the Graduate School, designed the cookbook, which was printed by UA Little Rock Printing Services.
You may order a copy of the cookbook online for $20. A portion of the proceeds will be used to fund diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives on campus, including the university’s annual Juneteenth celebrations.
