Faith Ringgold’s DINNER at AUNT CONNIE’S HOUSE
And for dessert, Lemon Tea Cake from JUBILEE by Toni Tipton-Martin
DINNER at AUNT CONNIE’S HOUSE is an expression of my belief that art can be more than a picture on a wall — it can envision our history and illustrate proud events in people’s lives. And what’s more, it can be magical!”
— Faith Ringgold, 1993, Afterword, Dinner at Aunt Connie’s House
And magical it is.
In Faith Ringgold’s Dinner at Aunt Connie’s House, Aunt Connie, an artist, has a surprise for her niece, Melody and adopted son, Lonnie.
The children discover twelve portraits painted by Connie of famous African-American women — one by one, the women in the portraits come alive and begin to speak to the children, telling their stories.
I will be the first to speak. I am Rosa Parks…I am Fannie Lou Hamer…I am Mary McLeod Bethune…My name is Augusta Savage…My name is Dorothy Dandridge…I am Zora Neale Hurston…My name is Maria W. Stewart…I am Bessie Smith…People call me Moses. I am Harriet Tubman…I am Sojourner Truth…I am Marian Anderson…My name is Madame C.J. Walker…
What do you think of us, children? 1
The children say they are proud to be African-American. The portraits are then carried to the dining room wall where the family is about to have dinner, but the women magically take seats at the table as guests — they bring history alive—and continue to speak about their place in it.
Dinner at Aunt Connie’s House is based on my 1986 painted story quilt, “The Dinner Quilt.” The painted story quilt is an art form I developed in 1983 that combines painting, sewing and storytelling.
— Faith Ringgold, 1993, Afterword, Dinner at Aunt Connie’s House
In “The Dinner Quilt” the same family, including the children, are at the table — but there are place mats embroidered by Connie that tell the stories of the women in the portraits.
I intended the original story for adults to recall their childhood memories of good times at festive dinners, with relatives and close friends, sharing family stories and delicious food.
— Faith Ringgold, 1993, Afterword, Dinner at Aunt Connie’s House
This is an example of how a book for children can be appreciated by the grown-ups (I loved it) because a good story, well written, and in this case also beautifully illustrated, is for everyone. I also love that Faith Ringgold celebrates the pleasures of the table, surrounded by family and friends, with such joy.
On the dinner menu at Connie’s beautiful home in Sag Harbor is a meal of roast turkey, duck, cranberry sauce, corn bread, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, candied sweet potatoes and fresh greens.
Because Faith Ringgold’s magic is contagious, I imagine what I’d bring for dessert if I was invited to Aunt Connie’s. I would bring a lemon cake.
But not just any lemon cake — one rich in history and memory from the James Beard Award winning cookbook Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by acclaimed food and nutrition journalist, Toni Tipton-Martin. It’s a recipe adapted from the 1866 A Domestic Cookbook by Malinda Russell.
In an interview with Saveur, Ms. Tipton-Martin said this is her favorite cake recipe and I can see why. It is so lemony and tender, but with the crunch of the glaze, and just so, so good.
Recipe for Lemon Tea Cake: Here
Interview with Toni Tipton-Martin: SAVEUR
Faith Ringgold: American People
I’ve had the good fortune to be able to view Faith Ringgold: American People at The Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA Chicago) several times over the past few months. It is mind-blowing in its range —Faith Ringgold’s range— her transcendent artistry and storytelling magic.
From creating some of the most indelible artwork of the civil rights era to challenging accepted hierarchies of art versus craft, Ringgold has produced a body of work that bears witness to the complexity of the American experience.
— MCA, Chicago, 2023-2024
Faith Ringgold was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2022. Here is a link if you’d like to learn more about her remarkable life and work: TIME100.
Have a good weekend, everyone.
Jolene
PS — if you are interested in exploring more children’s literature, I can’t recommend
’s enough. Fantastic.Sources:
Ringgold, Faith. Dinner at Aunt Connie’s House. New York, Hyperion Books for Children, 1993.
Tipton-Martin, Toni. Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking. New York, Clarkson Potter/Publishers, 2019.
Faith Ringgold: American People. Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, November 19, 2023-February 25, 2024. MCA
Each of the women speak about their life and work in the pages of Dinner at Aunt Connie’s House after they introduce themselves. I have included only their introductions.
Oh, Jolene! What a wonderfully inspiring post. By the way, the French make the exact same lemon cake (it's sooooo good!) except instead of buttermilk, they use yogurt. All very delicious! Thank you for all you do to educate and inspire! Love, Jamie
Im so happy to have learned about Faith Ringgold! What an extraordinary creative!