At 89 years old, the whole country came to know Mrs. Emily Meggett’s talent and impact through the preeminent Gullah cookbook, Gullah Geechee Home Cooking: Recipes from the Matriarch of Edisto Island. Rich in both flavor and history, it not only includes delicious recipes, but also snippets of the Meggett family history on Edisto Island, which stretches back into the 19th century. In 2022, Mayor John Tecklenburg declared July 22 “Emily Meggett Day” on behalf of the city of Charleston.
Pick up your copy of Gullah Geechee Home Cooking – the first major Gullah Geechee cookbook from “the matriarch of Edisto Island,” – at your local bookstore. Co-authored by Kayla Stewart and Trelani Michelle, published by Abrams Books, photographed by Clay Williams, this cookbook includes not only delicious and accessible recipes but also the history of an overlooked American community. Rich in both flavor and history, it is a testament to the syncretism of West African and American cultures that makes Mrs. Emily’s home of Edisto Island so unique. We are honored to have celebrated Mrs. Emily at the 2023 Matriarchs of the Lowcountry dinner and will continue to do so through her beautiful legacy.
🎨 Natalie Daise
📸 Anne Malarich