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[Community Name] – [Organization Name] in [Community Name] will host “From Corn Bread to Chop Suey: Ethnic Cafes in the 19th Century,” a presentation and discussion by Kelly Erby on
[Date] at [Time] at [Location and Address of Presentation]. Members of the community are invited to attend the free program. Contact the [Host Organization Name] at [Phone Number] for more information. The program is made possible by the Kansas Humanities Council.
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Late in the 1800s, a wide range of eateries opened in American cities to serve the country’s growing immigrant populations. The new variety of cuisines and dining rituals on display in these restaurants soon sparked curiosity among native-born Americans. This presentation explores how people enjoyed both the food and the “sneak peek” into immigrant life that these restaurants provided, and how they sparked our country’s culinary diversity that we enjoy today.
Kelly Erby is an assistant professor of history at Washburn University. Her research focuses on the development of a distinctive American cultural identity in the early 19th century and the role of racial, ethnic, and economic differences in that identity. She is currently working on a book about the origins of restaurant dining in America as a window into these topics.
“Many people don’t realize that the way we eat in America has a history,” explained Erby.
“Ethnic restaurants in the late-nineteenth century are fascinating for the glimpse they provide into not only dining patterns but also social and cultural relationships.”
“From Corn Bread to Chop Suey: Ethnic Cafes in the 19th Century” is part of the Kansas
Humanities Council’s Humanities Speakers Bureau, featuring presentations and discussions that examine our shared human experience—our innovations, culture, heritage, and conflicts.
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Page 2 – Presentation Explores Growth of Ethnic Cafes in 19th Century
The Kansas Humanities Council conducts and supports community-based programs, serves as a financial resource through an active grant-making program, and encourages Kansans to engage in the civic and cultural life of their communities. For more information about KHC programs contact the Kansas Humanities Council at 785/357-0359 or visit online at www.kansashumanities.org
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For more information about “From Corn Bread to Chop Suey: Ethnic Cafes in the 19th Century” in [Community] contact the [Host Organization] at [Phone Number] or visit [Website].
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