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Culinary Historians | Henry Orr, a Black Caterer in Early Federal Washington, DC

When

Sunday February 16, 2025: 4:00pm to 5:30pm  Add to Calendar /   Add to Google Calendar

Where

Downtown Library: 4th Floor Meeting Room

Description

In 1837 the best-known Black caterer in Washington was hired to create a supper in honor of the visiting Englishwoman Harriet Martineau. That man, Henry Orr, the dinner he prepared, and the extraordinary life he lived, form a fascinating episode in U.S. history. 

Leni Sorensen of Virginia, a scholar of African American slavery, American agriculture, and women’s work in colonial and post-colonial America, has uncovered how Orr used his many skills to supply fine food and dining service for elite white families, earning enough money to buy himself, his wife, and his children out of slavery.

This event is in partnership with the Culinary Historians of Ann Arbor.

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The Library will be providing a live stream of this event and we intend to make it available for future viewing. A video player will appear on this page 1 hour before the start of the event.