The Chesapeake Bay, described as “an immense protein factory” by Baltimore writer H.L. Mencken, long supported an abundance of oysters, crabs, clams, and many species of finfish. These productive waters along with the bay’s extensive network of navigable tributaries shaped the region’s foodways. Through trade, transportation, and communication the region’s natural bounties were brought together with new people, foods, and flavors from around the globe, particularly Africa, the Caribbean, England, and Europe. How did these cultural connections come together in the Chesapeake region and how did they find expression in gardens, landscapes, communities, kitchens, and around the region’s tables? The session will explore the 1812 period as well as the long-term impact of these dynamic connections on the bay’s marine environment and resources. Panelists: Mollie Ridout, Director of Horticulture for Historic Annapolis Foundation; Psyche Williams-Forson, Associate Professor of American Studies at University of Maryland, and Denise Breitburg, marine ecologist at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. National Museum of American History, September 11, 2014
